No Air
by vesperlynd17
Summary: A love that survived a war is destroyed. Can the two survive the pain, find the cause of it, and eventually get back together? DMHG Finally Completed. ;
1. Chapter 1 The Owl

_Chapter 1 – The Owl_

_If I should die before I wake_

_It's because you_

_Took my breath away_

_Losing you is like_

_Living in a world with no air_

"Hermione, sweetheart?" Ginny Weasley – well, actually, she was Mrs. Potter now – banged on the door.

She and Hermione had been sitting in the Potters' kitchen in New York. Yes, right after the war, the Boy-who-lived had moved to New York. His girlfriend – who was now his wife – and his best friend, Hermione Granger, accompanied him to the States. Everyone needed a fresh start right after Lord Voldemort had finally been defeated. The three were now living in a lavish and spacious apartment in the city. Harry and Hermione worked for the Ministry of Magic while they were in the States.

Well, anyway, Ginny and Hermione were having a good talk and eating dinner, when a great big owl came to the window, with a letter.

Hermione smiled at Ginny, and opened the window. She petted the owl and gave him a treat, and it left.

Ginny watched Hermione's face. The letter was apparently for Hermione. But Hermione's smile turned into a frown. She shook her head.

Hermione's vision was blurry because of the tears she was fighting back. A single tear fell down her cheek. She ran to her room.

Mrs. Potter was alarmed when she saw her best friend run off. She followed Hermione, but the latter had already shut the door and locked it. Ginny knocked gently, but started banging on the door when she heard Hermione's loud sobs.

* * *

How dare he? Why would he? Why would he send back the letter?

Did he not love her?

Did he not care for her?

Or…did he find someone else?

Someone else he loved more that he did her?

No. She couldn't bare thinking of it.

Hermione curled up on her bed. No matter how hard she tried, the tears still would not stop falling. She decided that she would just cry herself to sleep, and hoped that she would feel better by the morning.

_No. I want to die._

_If I can't have you, I will die._

_I cannot lose you._

_Maybe…I'd lose my breath while I sleep._

_Then I could die._

_Then I wouldn't have to worry._

_I wouldn't have to worry about you anymore._

_You certainly don't seem to care for me._

_Since…you've obviously found someone else._

_Someone else._

_NO! I _cannot_ lose you!_

* * *

Ginny gave up after a while. She sighed, and returned to the kitchen. She picked up the envelope that Hermione had left on the counter. There was a name and address on it, but it wasn't Hermione's, and it was in Hermione's handwriting.

_**Draco Malfoy  
Malfoy Manor,**_

_**Wiltshire, England**_


	2. Chapter 2 Love Lost

_Chapter 2 – Love Lost_

_I'm here, alone_

_Didn't want to leave_

_My heart won't move_

_It's incomplete_

_Wish there was a way_

_That I could make you understand_

"Oh, Draco, I'm so very sorry," the beautiful girl with long, black hair whimpered. She reached out to touch her friend's face. "I…I thought you knew. I didn't know…I didn't know you weren't informed of it."

The blond man shook his head. He was gritting his teeth in anger…and hopelessness. The woman he loved just couldn't be engaged!

_No. No. No, no, no! Not my Hermione!_

"Draco…please," the woman raised her hand to her friend's hair. She pushed the strands that were falling over his entrancing silver eyes. "Please, _please_ don't make this too hard on yourself. This was not your fault."

"No, Daphne," he contradicted. "I must have done something. She wouldn't have gotten…_engaged_ to someone else…if I hadn't done something wrong."

"Oh, no, Draco, it wasn't you!"

He turned his head to her.

"Daphne, do you know where she is?"

She remained silent.

"Daphne, I'm begging you. _Tell me where she is_!" he begged.

"I'm sorry, Draco," she said in a whisper. "I have no idea where she is. She disappeared with Potter and the Weasley girl after the war. You know that."

"But when they left, they were headed for New York."

"The Ministry apparently had Potter and Granger transferred. I'm not sure that they are in New York still…or if they're still in the States, for that matter." Daphne sighed. She did not expect it to be this hard. She did not expect him to still love the little Mudblood even after such a long time that she was gone.

"She promised…she promised she would write to me," he moaned. "She said she'd keep in touch…that she would never forget." He was on the verge of tears now. Nothing had ever made him cry before.

He leaned his head against the cold wall of his study.

"I have to find her."

"No, Draco, you shouldn't. You'll…hurt yourself."

"Daphne, I have to see her. I have to talk to her. I have to find a way to keep her from marrying whoever her bloody fiancé is!"

Daphne Greengrass closed her bright green eyes. She took her coat from the chair she laid it on.

"I'm really very sorry, Draco," she sympathized. "I wish there was something we could do about it, but there really isn't. I have to go. I promised Blaise I'd meet him tonight. Draco…she's not the only woman you could love. There's probably someone else you'd care for more than you care for her. Please, take care of yourself, Draco. I love you." She kissed his cheek. And then she left.

Draco Malfoy was now all alone.

For months, almost a year now, he had been waiting to hear from Hermione Granger. She was his love. His one true love. His perfect mate in many ways. And she loved him as well…at least he thought she did.

Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger had fallen in love with one another shortly before the war, when they were in the seventh year. The two were serving as Head Boy and Head Girl of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry that year. The night that Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters had attacked Hogwarts, he and Hermione had pledged eternal love to one another. He gave her a ring as a token of his love.

But then, Harry Potter defeated the Dark Lord. Everyone celebrated, but they were all very exhausted. It had been a tough war. There was still a lot to be done. The bodies of those who died in the war had to be taken care of. Hogwarts Castle had to be reconstructed because of the damages caused.

Harry Potter had decided to get away for a while. The Ministry of Magic had the perfect job for him while he was away, and he accepted. A week later, Harry Potter was on a flight to the United States. With him, he had taken Ginny Weasley and Hermione.

Before they left, Hermione met up with Draco. Everyone knew about their little romance already. Both were actually very surprised to learn that everyone had been making bets on how long it would take for them to finally get together. It appears that everyone in Hogwarts had known that Draco Malfoy had a crush on Hermione Granger ever since she hit him in their third year. They also knew that even if she acted like it all the time, Hermione Granger didn't really hate the Slytherin Prince, and it would only take a matter of time before she felt the same way for him as he did for her.

He had his chauffeur drive them both to the Muggle airport. He saw her off. As she was walking up to the plane bound for the United States, she ran back to him. She repeated her promise, that she would keep in touch with him, that she would never, ever forget him. She swore that she would always love him. They kissed for one last time. Then she was gone.

Draco could not believe that the woman who pledged her love and her life to him had already given it to someone else. He spent all this time hoping that she would come back to England, or at least give him a call. But she found love with someone else in just a few months.

That means she must not have really loved him in the first place.

He wished that there was some way he could talk to her.

But America was such a huge place. Not many magical folk knew where Harry Potter had run off to.

It could have been easy for him. He had so much money, and so much time. He could have done so much to find her. Hell, he could have located her parents and asked them about her. He could have even asked the Weasleys! He could have pulled it off.

But he didn't think about that. No, his heart was aching so much that he couldn't think about it.

He loved her so much that it hurt. He'd give up anything for her. He loved her so much he didn't think she'd ever leave him.

The last thing Daphne told him was that there were still other women he could love. Someone to take Hermione's place.

No.

No one could _ever_ take Hermione's place. No one would ever compare to her.

He would never love anyone as much as he loved her.

That was it. That was the end of love for Draco Malfoy. He would never love again. If he couldn't have Hermione Granger, then he would have no one at all.


	3. Chapter 3 Morose

_Chapter 3 – Morose_

_But somehow_

_I'm still alive inside_

_You took my breath_

_But I survived_

_I don't know how_

_But I don't even care_

Hermione scowled at the sunlight. She yanked the curtains shut.

Then she sat still.

She was surprised that she was alive.

Why would she still be alive? Why was she breathing? After all, she had no more reason for living. Draco Malfoy was her reason for living. And he was gone. He was no longer hers. He did not love her anymore.

It was the first time she noticed that Harry Potter was in her room. Her best friend was sitting on an armchair by her bed, watching her. He looked as if he hadn't left her room all night. Hermione pulled the blanket up over her head. She did not want to see Harry. She did not want to see anyone.

Harry walked over and took the blanket off of her head. His heart broke when he saw her face. She looked terrible. She had never been this sad before.

"You look like you haven't gotten any sleep, Harry," Hermione glared.

"Says the girl with the dark bags under her eyes," Harry taunted.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione demanded. The tone of her voice was monotonous. "Leave me alone."

"I'm here because I'm keeping an eye on you. Ginny asked me to make sure you didn't kill yourself," Harry explained.

"You're the reason I'm not yet dead!" Hermione groaned. "Thanks a lot, Harry Potter!"

"Hermione, will you please stop being so morose?" Harry said. "This isn't doing you any good."

"I don't intend on doing myself any good. I thought that was obvious."

"Hermione, come on. You can't end your life just because of Malfoy!"

"Shut up, Harry. I will end my life if I want to."

Harry sighed. Hermione was acting like such a teenager.

"I don't care about living anymore if I cannot have the man I love," Hermione suddenly stated.

"Well, he apparently doesn't love you as much as you love him, Hermione," Harry argued. "He's not worth wasting any of your love on."

Hermione looked up at Harry. She looked like she was going to cry, and it made him want to cry as well. He sat beside her on the bed, and took her into his arms. He could feel his shirt getting wet as her tears flowed out.

He patted her back and soothed her. "Just cry it all out, Hermione. It'll be over soon."

* * *

A few days later, Harry and Ginny were sitting at the dining table for dinner. Hermione came up from her room and sat down.

"It's good to see you alive again, Hermione," Ginny smiled.

"Well, I'm not. I wish I were dead," Hermione drawled. Harry cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Oh, don't look at me that way, Harry," Hermione ordered.

Harry shook his head. "Hermione, we have something to tell you."

Hermione swallowed her food. "Oh, good, I have something to say to you, too. Do you mind if I went first?"

"Sure, go ahead. We're all ears," Ginny said.

"I've decided what I'm going to do."

The married couple exchanged confused looks.

"About what?" Ginny asked.

"The Malfoy problem." Hermione had said it so bluntly, that it was as if the matter didn't hurt her at all.

"Oh, that," Ginny muttered. "So what are you doing about it, Hermione?"

"I'm going to go back."

"Go back where?"

"Home."

Harry coughed. "Home?"

"Yes."

Harry and Ginny glanced at one another again.

"Oh, that's great!" Ginny exclaimed. "You know what? Harry and I thought that we should head over back home, as well."

"Yeah," Harry agreed. "It's been a long time since we've seen our friends and family. We've already contacted Molly and Arthur. They generously offered to fix Grimmauld Place up for us to stay in when we arrive."

"Oh…oh, that's good," Hermione said. "Um…when are we going to leave?"

Ginny and Harry replied together. "Friday."

"But that's tomorrow."

"Sorry, Hermione, we've been wanting to tell you for a long time," Ginny explained.

"Not really a long time," Harry retorted. "It's just since last week."

"Well…all right. Okay," Hermione breathed. "I'll be ready by tomorrow." Hermione finished the last of her dinner, and then brought her plate to the dishwasher.

"We're leaving early, all right, Hermione?" Ginny called.

"Yeah, sure," Hermione nodded. She gave them a small smile, the first one they've seen in a week. "I'll see you tomorrow."


	4. Chapter 4 Homecoming

Chapter 4 – Homecoming

_Chapter 4 – Homecoming_

_I walked_

_I ran_

_I jumped_

_I flew_

_Right off the ground_

_To flow to you_

_There's no gravity_

_To hold me down_

_For real_

The plane landed at exactly 10:47 AM. Ginny and Hermione walked towards the exit of the London airport as Harry went to get their luggage.

Hermione tried to calm herself as they made their way towards the waiting Weasleys. She had been looking forward to coming back home because she knew she was on an important mission, something that would be crucial to her happiness. But now that she thought about it, and now that she was actually standing on the land that he was on, her confidence faltered. She was scared to face Malfoy. She was afraid of what she might learn when she finally saw him again.

Alas, she and Ginny spotted the numerous heads of bright red hair standing right beside a Ford Anglia. There was Arthur and Molly, of course. Beside them stood Ron, George, Percy, Bill and his wife, Fleur, and their baby girl, Victoire. It was sad that Fred, George's twin, was no longer with them. He died during the war.

Molly took both girls into her arms.

"Ginny, Hermione," she cried. "Oh, I'm so happy to see you! I've missed you oh so terribly. We've all missed you. Where's Harry?"

"He's fetching our things," Ginny replied, as she embraced her father, her brothers, her sister-in-law, and her little niece.

Hermione did the same as Ginny, and when she came to Ron, he was smiling so widely, so thrilled to see her. She smiled and threw her arms around him.

Harry finally emerged from the airport crowd, his hair untidy as always. Molly hugged him tightly, then Ron, George, Percy and Bill helped bring the luggage into the trunk of the Ford Anglia, while everyone else got into the car. Harry smiled as he saw that the Undetectable Extension Charm that Mr. Weasley put on the car in their second year was still on it.

"So, Harry. How has New York been?" Arthur asked.

"Oh…well, it's been great. We'll take you there some time. The city's just magnificent," Harry replied.

"What are you girls planning to do here? Shopping?" George sniggered as he asked Hermione and Ginny, who were sitting beside him.

"Yes, George, I intend to spend my stay here shopping," Ginny hissed. "Hermione, however, has other plans."

"Other plans? Oh, do tell, Hermione!" George gushed, and batted his eyelashes like a girl. Hermione laughed, for George reminded her of Lavender Brown's girlish ways.

"If I know Hermione, all she's going to do here is curl up in her room and read," Ron said. Hermione gave him a dirty look.

"Shows how much you know me, Ronald." Ron whimpered, and sulked in the corner. Hermione started laughing again.

"I'm just kidding, Ron!" she watched out for the smile returning on Ron's face. "But yeah. I do have other plans that just reading."

"Like what?" Ron pushed.

"She has a date."

Hermione's mouth dropped, and she looked to the girl beside her. Ginny's brown eyes widened, and she sunk into her seat.

"Ginny! I do not!"

Ginny pouted. "All right, okay. It's not really a date. He doesn't even know she's here. She's ambushing him, then she's cursing his arse off." Hermione glared at her best friend.

"And it's good that she is. Good riddance to him, I tell you," Harry called from the front seat, where he was sitting beside Molly.

"You know, Hermione, the Ministry could arrest you for that," Percy pointed out. George rolled his eyes at his older brother.

"What dastardly thing did the poor chap ever do to you, Hermione?" Bill laughed.

Hermione bit her lip, and hung her head. Ginny straightened up in her seat and rested her hand on Hermione's shoulder.

"I was going to ask who the bloke is, for when I report you to the Ministry, but I guess I have a pretty good idea of who it is," Percy said. He intended for it to be a joke, to make Hermione smile.

"Percy, please," George sighed. "Don't give yourself a hemorrhage, and stop trying to be funny. You have never been, or ever will be funny." Everyone, including Hermione, laughed at George's quip at Percy. Percy scoffed at his brother.

Arthur Weasley pulled up in front of #12 Grimmauld Place. Harry stood at the street and stared longingly at the house that his late godfather left for him.

"Say, Arthur, is Kreacher in the house?" Harry asked his father-in-law.

"Why, yes! The delightful little fellow made sure that the place was spotless!" Arthur replied.

"We offered to help him, but he wouldn't let us do a single bit of the work," Molly added fondly.

"Delightful little fellow, my arse!" Ron scoffed. "The little bugger hit me over the head the last time we were here!"

"You probably did something to anger Kreacher, Ron," Hermione smiled. "You know how sensitive house-elves are."

Ron leaned to Harry. "Here she goes with her _spew_ thing again."

Harry laughed. "Don't mention it to her. She'll go absolutely nuts about it if you do." They both started bringing Harry, Ginny and Hermione's things into the house.

"So, tell me, Harry. Did Hermione really come along to see Malfoy?" Ron inquired. He hoped that Harry wouldn't confirm it. He intended to rekindle the relationship that he and Hermione had before.

"Sadly, yes," Harry sighed.

"They're still together? Even after all this time that they were apart?" Ron demanded.

"I'm afraid you are mistaken, Ron," Harry said. Ron noticed that they were standing in the front hall of Sirius Black's childhood home. Kreacher bounced happily up to them. Harry smiled at the ancient house-elf that he had inherited, along with the house. Ron could not help but glare at Kreacher, on the other hand.

"Hello, Master Harry," Kreacher greeted. "Kreacher has been waiting for you to return. Kreacher's been lonely, with nobody to serve." The house-elf took their bags and carried them up the stairs. Ron and Harry made their way to the parlor, and sat down with drinks.

Ron decided to go back to their previous conversation. "What does Hermione intend to do here? Make amends with Malfoy?"

"She _hopes_ that she'll be able to. I'm honestly not sure that she could. After all, Malfoy was the one who turned her away. Hermione had kept her promise to the wanker and wrote him, but he never wrote back. Then just last week, he made his intentions clear by sending back the letter she sent to him," Harry explained.

"That little _git_," Ron muttered.

"Have you guys heard from Malfoy, though?"

"Harry, I try as much as possible to steer completely clear of Draco bloody Malfoy, or anything related to him." Ron rolled his eyes. "It would be best for Hermione to do the same, wouldn't it?"

"You're right," Harry said. "I'm so very worried about her. She seems so vacant. No, she doesn't _seem_ vacant. She _is_ vacant. There's nothing left inside of her. He's taken everything from her."

"She was quite all right just now," Ron noted.

"That's just an act of hers," Harry told. "She keeps up on normal conversation, and puts on a smile once in a while. I stayed in her room the night the letter came back. When she woke up the next morning, she said she didn't care for her life. That she wanted to...die." Harry choked. "I'm afraid she might do something harsh, Ron." The thought of Hermione committing suicide shook Harry to the very bone.

"Hermione's a smart girl, Harry. She wouldn't," Ron assured.

"I'm not so sure, Ron. People do stupid things when they're in love. I bet they do even stupider things when they actually _lose_ that love."

* * *

Four o'clock. She'd have just enough time to take a stroll around the city before dinner. Sort of a welcome back tour, to see what had changed and what had not around London. Maybe she wouldn't come back for dinner. She might go to a nice restaurant, so that she'd be alone to gather her thoughts. But, no, she couldn't. Molly would probably have cooked a special dinner for them, and she wouldn't want to hurt the feelings of the woman who loved her and Harry as if they were her very own.

Hermione pulled a warm sweater on, and sneakers. It would be a long walk. She opened her jewelry box to search for the necklace that her parents had given her. She'd stop by their place in the next few days, after the three of them had settled into #12 Grimmauld Place. But what caught her eye made her frown.

She picked it up from the bottom of the jewelry box, and twirled it around her fingers. She had yanked it off of her finger that night, when she learnt that he did not want her anymore, and threw it. She did not know where it was, and she did not have any intention to search for it. All she knew was that it was on the floor of her bedroom, in some corner.

Harry must have found it and placed it back inside the jewelry box, that meddling bugger.

The shiny emerald on the ring put Hermione in a trance. She just continued staring at it. The rock was quite small. Draco had the money and the intention to have it made a little grander, but he knew that Hermione wouldn't wear it if it was too ostentatious.

Hermione put it on her left ring finger, with the emerald facing down.


	5. Chapter 5 Unexpected Heartbreak

_Chapter 5 – Unexpected Heartbreak_

_But how do you expect me_

_To live alone with just me_

'_Cause my world_

_Revolves around you_

_It's so hard for me to breathe_

_Oh. So something has changed._

Hermione took her baseball cap off and walked into the bookstore. She had never seen it before. It must have been a new establishment. She peered into the windows, and saw cozy furniture and shelves of books occupying the spacious room. It looked inviting, and she went in.

"Welcome to Ex Libris, miss," the male clerk smiled. Hermione was compelled to return his warm smile back, but she was afraid that she would just give him a cold sneer, so she just nodded and walked away.

She approached the table that was nearest the door. It had the same theme as the whole bookstore was decorated. There was a pink cloth over it, and there were copies of a single book with a red cover sitting on the table. Hermione picked a copy up, and perused the title. She threw the book back down, as if it was something disgusting, like a bug, as soon as she read the title.

Hermione's eyes scanned the bookstore.

And it hit her.

Today was Valentine's Day.

The Weasleys and Harry didn't mention it. They knew how much it would affect her.

She didn't even remember the date, herself. The time she spent locked up in her room in New York seemed like an eternity. She even felt older when she finally emerged from it the night before they came back to London.

Valentine's Day. There were even couples walking around the bookstore, holding hands, whispering sweet nothings to one another.

Hermione wanted to get away from the mushiness. She knew that the other books that weren't related to Valentine's or love or any of that stuff that she hated would be at the back of the bookstore, and she strode off.

That was until she got knocked over.

She didn't see who bumped into her. All she knew was that she fell into the pink cloth-covered table. When the haze dissolved and she could see clearly, she saw a blond woman, standing over her.

"Oh, my goodness, I'm so very sorry!" the lady gasped. She offered Hermione her hand, which was explicitly manicured. Hermione took it, and as she got up on her feet, she noticed how tall – and appealing – the woman was. The blond was wearing a black skirt, which reached just above her knees. A plain white blouse was covered by her long coat. Hermione saw the cause of her great height. It wasn't really that great. The woman was just a couple of inches taller than Hermione. She'd have been as tall as Hermione was if she'd have taken off the black stiletto pumps she was wearing.

"My dear, are you okay? I really am very sorry," the woman said in a sophisticated, but kind, British accent.

"No, no, please. I'm all right. No harm done," Hermione mumbled. The woman was alone. Hermione didn't feel so sorry for herself anymore, and was about to introduce herself to the seemingly single woman, though it seemed strange that a woman this gorgeous would be single. Oh, how she was mistaken.

"Nat?" a man called, his voice strangely and comfortingly familiar to Hermione.

The man's head turned towards her for a split second, as she gawked awkwardly at them. He furrowed his eyebrows and looked back at her, studying her.

At first glance, Hermione thought that the man was the lady's brother. He was blond as well, only a lighter shade. He was as pale as she was, his features sharp and attractive.

He couldn't have been the blond lady's brother. Why?

It was because he was an only child. How did Hermione know that, now?

Well. Because she knew the man well. Standing right in front of her, was Draco Malfoy, the man who she thought loved her.

And it was then that Hermione made up her mind to turn and run away.

But no! She couldn't! This was her chance. She'd been racking her brains for ideas on how she would meet up with him. But there he was, standing right in front of her! She couldn't give the chance up.

And even if she chose to run away, she couldn't. Her feet were glued to the clean bookstore floor against her will.

"_Hermione_?" Draco Malfoy breathed. Hermione blinked, her cheeks getting hot. She figured that at this point, if running away didn't work, then fainting from a fever probably would. Draco stepped forward to get closer to her. He took another good look at her.

"It _is_ you."

Hermione stood motionless as Draco wrapped his arms around her tightly, as if to make up for the time they've lost. Thankfully, no other customers were looking.

"You're finally back," Draco lowered his voice so that only she could hear. "I've missed you."

She pushed him away. "I don't think I've missed _you_, Malfoy."

Draco chuckled. "What's with the hostile greeting, Granger?" He took her hand, and caught a glimpse of the plain golden band on her left ring finger.

"Oh," Draco frowned. Hermione didn't realize why he reacted that way, because of the bitter feelings she had towards him at the moment.

Draco and Hermione did not notice that the blond woman was still standing beside him, smiling, keeping quiet.

"I'm sorry. I forgot. How rude of me," Draco smiled. Hermione's chest tightened as Draco wrapped his arm around the lady's waist. "Nat, this is Hermione Granger. Hermione, this is Natasha Redding, my girlfriend. She's a model, and she's just returned from the States for a photo shoot, like you. You _did_ come from the States, right?"

"Yes, that's right, Malfoy" Hermione stuttered.

"You're being mean today," Draco teased. "Are you with Pothead and Little Red?"

"Don't call them that," Hermione snapped.

"I'm sorry," Draco smirked. "It's just out of habit. I seem to recall you found that amusing before… So, where are you staying?"

"Why, are you planning on stalking me, Malfoy?" Hermione leered. Draco frowned at her. She sighed, "Grimmauld Place."

"All right," Draco smiled again. "Hey, listen, Nat and I were just about to go out for some coffee. Come along with us."

"Yes, Miss Granger, please," Natasha urged. "I'm sure you and Draco have much to catch up on."

"Oh. No. No, thank you," Hermione said. "I wouldn't want to impose."

"Don't be silly, Hermione," Draco drawled. "You wouldn't be imposing on anything." Natasha raised her eyebrows, but her expression went back to being neutral at once.

"I really couldn't," Hermione repeated. "I have to help Harry and Ginny settle into the house, and I'm sure Mrs. Weasley has dinner ready. Please."

Draco's teeth clenched. His real intentions were to drop Natasha back in her flat and get a bite with Hermione. He had so many things to talk with her about.

"Draco, sweetheart," Natasha purred sweetly, although not as sickeningly like Pansy Parkinson used to do. "Miss Granger looks like she's in a hurry. We best let her go on her way."

"Yes. I'm sorry for the intrusion, Granger," Draco muttered.

"It was nice meeting you, Miss Redding," Hermione offered her hand to Draco's new girl.

"Natasha. Please call me Natasha," Natasha requested.

"Sure. Natasha." The model took her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend's hand and shook it gently. She did not really know who Hermione was, or what part she had played in Draco's life, or rather, how much Draco needed her in his life.

Hermione took a deep breath and faced Draco.

"So, I'll see you around, Draco."

The tight feeling in his chest dissolved. That was the first time she had spoken to him so kindly, and the first time she called him by his first name.

"It was nice seeing you again." She extended her hand to him, as she did Natasha, but he did not take it. Instead, he took her by the shoulders and pulled her into an embrace.

Hermione was relieved that she was in his arms once again. _Oh, God_, was all she could think. It felt so wonderful, so familiar, so comforting. The same way she felt when she heard his voice for the first time in the bookstore. She finally felt that she was home. She had been searching for this feeling for the many hours that she spent back in London. Hermione couldn't quite grasp it, though the Weasleys were indeed very gracious, she didn't feel so comfortable.

Draco released her, and his silver eyes urged her to look into them. They were as beautiful as she had always remembered.

"I really do have to go. I'm sorry to cut this short, Malfoy," Hermione said. "Goodbye." She shoved her hands into the pockets of her jacket, and was out of the door so fast that Draco didn't get to get one last sight of her.

**I am so sorry if I'm taking a long time in posting Chapter 6. I swear, I'm giving it all that I've got. I'm just having a really hard time deciding what happens next. I mean, I know what's going to happen next, because I already know how the story is going to end, but I'm finding difficulty trying to see in what order things are going to happen.**

**Thanks for reading and reviewing though! That's very much appreciated. It keeps me going. :**

**_Cheska_**


	6. Chapter 6 Third Party

_Chapter 6 – Third Party_

_"She's a real catch, isn't she, Malfoy, old boy?" Blaise chuckled._

_Draco glared at his best friend. "Just keep your hands off of her, you wanker, or you just might die." Natasha giggled, and stood behind the armchair where Draco was seated._

_"I'll go and ask the elves to get us something to eat," she announced. She placed a light kiss on Draco's cheek._

_When Natasha was out of earshot, Blaise chuckled once more._

_"You're one lucky bastard, Draco. Imagine, meeting a glamorous model, and finding out that she was a witch, too! I'd trade places with you any day," Blaise stated._

_Draco just stared out the window._

_"Don't kill me for this, but I just _really_ have to know," Blaise continued. "Is she good in bed?"_

_"She's good enough," Draco replied stiffly._

_Blaise smirked._

_"But I know she doesn't meet _your_ standards, Draco."_

_"What the hell do you mean, Zabini?"_

_"No one can be as good as Granger. You told me once that you would give up all the women in the world just to have a taste of her, you know, before you two were…well, you know."_

_"You're probably right, for once, Blaise. I'm impressed," Draco mocked._

_Blaise ignored Draco's teasing. "Daphne told me that she told you. Honestly, Draco, I think that was plain rude of Granger to keep it from you that she was already engaged. She always seemed nice. I thought she'd be nice enough to find time to inform you of it."_

_"Well, she didn't," Draco snapped. "Shut up, Zabini." Pain tightened Draco's chest once more._

_"Face the facts, Malfoy." Blaise clucked his tongue and shook his head sympathetically. "You're never going to love anyone more than you love Granger. Yes, _love, _in present tense, not past tense. You still love her, even if you lie to yourself and others that you've already fallen madly in love with Natasha."_

_Draco refused to admit that Blaise was indeed correct. "Don't be so sure of yourself, Blaise." He avoided eye contact with his best friend, for he knew that Blaise could see right through him._

_"Come off it, Draco, I know you," Blaise said, his expression serious and the tone of his voice stern for once. "You know, whether you will admit it to yourself or not, you _are_ hurting people. Sure, you've kept the pain away from your own self, but that's why you're selfish, Malfoy. You don't care that others are being affected, just as long as you save your own pretty, pathetic self from the drama."_

_"Cut the crap, Blaise. Like you said so yourself, I don't like drama," Draco drawled. "I don't quite get you."_

_"Shut up, bastard," Blaise snapped. "Sooner or later, Natasha is going to realize that you are just toying with her. I mean, she's already fallen for the lies that you've told her. The lie you've mastered so perfectly, wherein you say that you love only her, when in fact your heart will _never_ be hers."_

_"Is it wrong for me to try to move on?" Draco barked. "At least I'm actually making an effort to move on, instead of just moping around, doing nothing with my life! I swear to you, Blaise, I'm doing my best to reciprocate Natasha's feelings. I really am. I don't care if you think I'm toying with her. I'm not, because even if she's not the woman I pledged eternal love to, I still don't want her to get hurt."_

_"That's good to know, Draco," Blaise said. "But until you're sure that you really_ do_ love her, let her go first, won't you? She doesn't have to share in your misery, that poor girl."_

Natasha could still remember that day. She thought about it, as she sat in Draco's car. He was driving her back to her flat from the restaurant where they just had dinner.

Unbeknownst to Draco and Blaise, Natasha had been standing on the other side of the wall of the drawing room of Malfoy Manor, out in the hallway, during their conversation. She had come to tell both men that the food was ready, and to beckon them out to the back garden. Natasha had come just in time to here Blaise mention Daphne Greengrass (who she knew was a childhood friend of Draco's) and someone named Granger. At first, Natasha thought that Granger was a man, but Blaise used the word 'she'. Natasha thought that it was quite rude of the boys to refer to a woman by her last name. She must have not been close to them, if they called her that way.

But then, Mr. Zabini said that Draco had apparently loved this Granger. He had a past with her. They were actually together.

Granger was engaged now. She belonged to someone else.

And Draco still loved her. Draco cared more for this Granger than he did for Natasha. His heart would always be Granger's.

She couldn't lose him. Yes, they've only been together for a month, but in that short a time, Natasha had discovered that she loved Draco Malfoy. She thought he loved her back.

She was mistaken, then.

Natasha would be forever grateful to Blaise Zabini for being concerned about her. He stood up for her, mindful of her feelings.

"Draco," Natasha whispered.

"Yes, love?" His voice was always sincere when he called her his love, but after meeting Hermione Granger for herself, Natasha began to doubt his fidelity.

"I think I heard Blaise mention her once."

"I'm sorry. Who are you talking about?"

"Hermione Granger."

"You have? Oh." Draco's grip on the steering wheel tightened.

"Yeah, it was long time ago. Where did you meet her? Did she use to be in your clique at Hogwarts? I seem to recall that Blaise said that Daphne knew her, as well." Natasha did not know about Draco's Hogwarts days. She did not attend Hogwarts. Her parents had sent her to Beauxbatons.

Draco didn't know how to answer Natasha's barrage of questions. He was uncertain if he should tell her that Hermione Granger was his girlfriend – or rather, _ex_-girlfriend.

"That's right. She went to Hogwarts with us."

"Slytherin?"

"Heavens, no!" Draco exclaimed, humor in his voice. "A little goody-goody like Granger in Slytherin? Good Lord, help us all."

Natasha laughed, although most of it was caught in her throat.

"She was a Gryffindor."

"Oh. She looked smart. I would have thought she was in Ravenclaw."

"Yes, everything would have been easier if she were in Ravenclaw," Draco muttered to himself, hoping that Natasha wouldn't hear.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Natasha said.

"Nothing," Draco mumbled.

"She's very pretty," Natasha offered, "Even through all that dark, bushy hair. She's certainly eye-catching."

"I agree."

"You know, Blaise said that you slept with every attractive girl in Hogwarts when you were there," Natasha smirked. "Was she on the list?"

Draco's eyes widened. If he admitted that he slept with Hermione Granger, he'd be admitting more than that. She'd find out that Hermione used to be his girlfriend...and the love of his life.

"No. Saint Granger never let me get near to her," he lied through his teeth, all the while hoping to sound cheery.

"That's a shame," Natasha narrowed her eyes. "I bet she'd have been good in bed."

"Nat, I was in Slytherin. I know what you're trying to do, and I'm telling you, you really can't get through me."

"Whatever do you mean, Draco, darling?" she purred innocently.

"You're trying to get me to admit that I had a fling with Hermione Granger."

"Maybe…maybe not."

"Well, I had nothing to do with her, Nat. Why would a Slytherin ever touch a Gryffindor, anyway?"

"I don't know. I didn't go to Hogwarts, remember?" Natasha snapped. "Fine. I'll stop it. I don't like where this is going."

_Liar_, she thought severely. _You just lied through your teeth, I saw you. All right, then. Be that way. I'll find someone else to spill all the beans to me. Blaise, probably._

"Draco, sweetheart, could you please tell me where Blaise lives?" Natasha requested.

"What? Why would you want to go near that rascal?"

"I haven't seen him in a long time. He's a good person to talk to."

"I'll take you there sometime, then, if you want."

"No, thank you, dear. Don't bother. I can manage."

Draco sighed. "I'm still not sure about this. I don't like the idea of leaving you in Blaise's dirty hands."

Natasha laughed. "I'll be fine. I promise. I've missed him. We've a lot to catch up on."

_And I have a lot of questions to ask. Draco Malfoy, prepare for the drama._

**Hello, guys.**

**I'm really sorry if this chapter is a bit on the suckish side. I've been dreading to write this chapter because I know that it's one of the boring parts of the story, and I didn't have much ideas for it.**

**The next chapter will be interesting, I promise.**

**I'm also sorry if it takes me a long time to upload...again. I'm extremely busy these days.**

**My next fic will be posted soon.**

**Love you all (and keep reviewing, please!),**

**_Cheska :D_**


	7. Chapter 7 Rendezvous

**A/N: ****Hey guys! ****I am so sorry it's late! As in, super late. I've been so busy the last few weeks. I already have the upcoming chapters outline, so hopefully, I'll be able to post Chapter 8 soon. Thanks so much for reading! I love reviews, by the way. :D _Cheska_**

_Chapter 7 – Rendezvous_

She cannot believe that he would be _this_ late.

Sure, it was predictable that he would be late.

But it was already seven thirty.

And he had promised that he would meet her at six.

This was getting stupid. Hermione wriggled around in the comfortable chair, smoothing her dress nervously.

Ron stopped by at #12 Grimmauld Place before he left for work (Hermione couldn't actually call what he did as _work_. She thought it was rather silly and childish of him to pursue it as a career), and asked Hermione to go out to dinner with him for the night, at this brand new, fancy restaurant in the city, hence the elegant black dress Hermione was wearing right now.

A waiter approached her, with a phone.

"Excuse me, Miss Granger?"

Hermione furrowed her eyebrows. "Yes?"

"You have a call. It's a Mr. Weasley." Hermione frowned, and took the phone from the waiter with not a word of thanks. She brought the phone up to her ear.

"Hello, Ron," she said in an exasperated tone.

"I'm so sorry you had to wait for long, 'mione," Ron apologized, "But I got caught up here at the pitch."

"What are you saying, Ron?" Hermione sighed.

"Hey, Hermione, I'm really, really sorry. But I can't make it to dinner tonight." Hermione heard Ron whimper, scared that she would yell at him.

She rolled her eyes.

"It's perfectly fine, Ronald. It's not as if I made much of an effort to get dressed up, anyway," Hermione hissed. She hoped this wouldn't happen, but she was sure that it would. Ron would choose his work over a quiet dinner with her. "I'll just see you this Sunday at lunch, all right?"

"You're sure you don't want to kill me right now?"

Well. It was pretty obvious.

"No, Ron," Hermione huffed. "Please, go on with whatever you're doing. Don't let _me_ bother you."

"Okay…all right," Ron stuttered. "I'll see you then, Hermione."

Hermione shove the phone back into the open hand of the waiter, who jumped up by the sudden, forceful movement. She gave him an apologetic smile.

It was a good thing that she had already ordered when she figured that Ron would either be late, or would stand her up. She dug into the delicious plate of ravioli sitting on the table in front of her.

She wanted to run out of the room right now, for she felt that all the people there knew what had happened. A single woman, who did so much to look nice for her date, to only get stood up. Now she would probably end up growing old, alone in the world, living in the flat she'd been living all her life, with her cats.

The poor girl.

As if they really cared.

Hermione dropped her fork on top of the pile of ravioli, and started to get up to use the bathroom. She very much wanted to splash cold water onto her face right now. Never mind that it would make her makeup run, she wasn't wearing much, anyway. But before she could even lift herself from her seat, someone placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. An entrancing scent she knew filled the air around her.

"Sit down there, Granger," Draco Malfoy chuckled. "I haven't gotten a chance to have you to myself yet." Hermione's face heated up as her former lover sat down in front of her, the adorable smirk that she hated when they were young plastered on his pale, angelic face.

"Go. Away," she commanded.

"You're still as bossy as ever. Glad to see nothing's changed, Hermione," Draco said, hoping she wouldn't take it as an insult, because he didn't intend for it to be one.

Hermione ignored it. "What are you doing here?"

Draco's smirk widened, he raised his hand, and a waiter came rushing over.

"I'm having a nice dinner with my ex-girlfriend. What did you think I was doing?" he teased. He turned to the waiter, who had started to offer him a menu, "No, thanks. I'll have what she's having." The waiter hurried away, and Draco smirked once again at Hermione. It was the first time she noticed that he was wearing a tux, like every other male diner in the restaurant. Damn, she wanted to sacrifice herself to the Slytherin Prince, right then and there.

"I'll rephrase my question, Malfoy. _Why_ are you here?"

"Well," Draco shrugged. "The Weasel passed up the grand offer to be with you tonight, so I decided to grab it. You came out here to catch up with him, he's obviously not here. We have a lot to talk about, too, you know."

The girl sitting across him folded her arms, and looked away. "I don't want to talk to you," she muttered.

"Then _I_ want to talk to you," Draco grimaced. "You've got a lot of explaining to do, Hermione."

_I could say the same to you_, Hermione sulked to herself.

"Now, where shall we start?" Draco smiled. Hermione closed her eyes, damning his forever enchanting smile.

"I don't know. Why don't you tell me why you're in a suit, and how you knew that you'd find me here?" The threatening tone in her voice was becoming gentler. You just couldn't stay mad at Draco Malfoy for long, after he's flashed you his alluring grin.

"I came from the office," he lied.

"Yeah, right," she snorted. "Not even _you_ would go to work dressed in that." She waved a hand, gesturing at his tailored suit.

"I came from Malfoy Manor, then," Draco tried again. Hermione leaned back and, once again, crossed her arms on her chest and raised an eyebrow.

Draco sighed. "I've been keeping watch on you."

"You mean you've been _stalking_ me. I'm pretty sure you could get arrested for that, Malfoy."

"I'm sure you speak falsely, Granger. Private detectives don't get arrested, so why should I? Besides, I've only been keeping an eye on you so that I could find some time to get you alone."

"Why?"

Draco frowned. "Well…because I've been wanting to talk to you."

Hermione's smooth forehead crinkled up. "Why would you want to do that? It's not as if you should be bothered by me anymore. It's over, anyway, Malfoy, you've evidently moved on." It pained her greatly to say it, and it pained her even more to say it harshly.

"We may not be what we were to each other before, but we're still old friends," he stated. "We haven't seen each other in a long time. I've missed you. I'm sure you've missed me, as well." Draco studied her face. She looked like she was holding back tears.

"So…how are your parents?" he suddenly said. Hermione looked up. "You went to their house last weekend, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I did," she replied. "They're fine. I didn't tell them I'd come back yet. I wanted to surprise them."

"Well, did you, then?"

Hermione beamed in response. Draco's heart jumped for joy when she actually smiled at him. She had been sneering at him ever since the first time the saw each other after she came home.

"So why'd the Weasel bail out on you?" Draco inquired. Hermione cringed, but she answered his question.

"Quidditch training held him up."

"Oh. He plays Quidditch for a living?" Draco said mockingly.

Hermione laughed, the sweet sound becoming even sweeter than he remembered. "Really, I think it's kind of stupid, too! It's always been his dream to play with the Chudley Cannons. We always thought he'd become an Auror – wait. You honestly didn't know that Ron was with the Chudley Cannons?"

"I'm surprised I didn't figure it out before!" Draco chuckled. "That team has always played terribly, but they got even worse the past few months. I'm sure it's because of the Weasel!"

"You're still as charming as ever. Good to see nothing's changed, Malfoy," Hermione frowned, repeating what he had said to her earlier. "I'll reiterate what I just asked before you started being a prick –"

"Save your breath, Hermione. I know what the question was. No, I did not know that the Weasel joined that horrid excuse of a Quidditch team. I have not had any sort of communication whatsoever with him or any member of his ridiculously large family." Hermione continued to frown at him for speaking of the people she considered her other family as such. He distracted her from her scowling when he spoke once more.

"That would explain why I wasn't informed of your whereabouts…and the things you've been up to, until lately."

"What do you mean my _whereabouts_? You know exactly where I've been all this time, Draco!" she said heatedly.

"No, I don't think I have, Granger."

"You were with me when I left for New York! I haven't been any place else."

"Well, I've been told otherwise."

"And who, pray tell, told you otherwise?"

Draco shrugged. He tried not to think about what Daphne had said to him the night that his heart got thrown to the ground and stomped on. "Never mind that, it isn't important."

Hermione stabbed the ravioli with her fork. "All right, fine." Neither of them had noticed that the waiter who took Draco's order had already delivered the plate to their table.

"What have you been doing in New York?" he asked her.

"What I came there to do," she replied. "Work for the Ministry."

"And Potter and Little Red?"

"Harry did the same as me, working for the Ministry. Ginny stayed in our apartment and looked after it, and us."

_Yes. She took care of you, Potter, and your new boyfriend._ Draco gritted his teeth. _Well, I guess the wanker – whoever he may be – is your husband now._

"So…are you still working in your father's company?" Hermione smiled. She laced her fingers together, underneath her chin. Draco could spot the wedding band on her finger, and he winced, unnoticed by Hermione.

"That's right. I've been waiting on him hand and foot ever since we left Hogwarts," Draco told.

"Oh, come now. I'm sure even Lucius isn't that much of a slave-driver," Hermione laughed.

"I don't know. That's pretty much the job description for executive vice president." They both laughed out at that one.

"Isn't it fun and exciting to be a curse-breaker?" Hermione said. "You get to see and handle and learn about so many different artifacts everyday."

Draco sneered. "It's not as if I get to have any part of the action, anyway. I'm stuck in meetings all day as Lucius' proxy, since the old goat is too lazy to come to the office. Then I have to run from the office to Malfoy Manor and back again over and over because he insists that _I_ deliver his documents to him. I don't understand why he just doesn't change the wards in the manor so that one of his many assistants can do the job for me!"

Hermione continued on laughing at Draco's plight. He wasn't telling her all of this for the sake of complaining, but he hoped that he would get her to laugh. It worked, though.

"How's Blaise, Draco?" she said so tenderly that Draco's heart ached to have her back in his arms again. He snorted at the thought that she cared for that pig of a best friend more than she cared for him.

"I don't know. I haven't seen him in a while. He just returned from a trip overseas. Natasha, though, was planning on visiting him this week. She finds talking to him largely amusing, I don't know why."

_Natasha_, Hermione inhaled.

"And Daphne?" she inquired.

"She's the same as always. She's still moving back and forth from her flat here in the city to the mansion her parents left her in the countryside."

"Oh? Her husband and her children don't mind that she's moving them around, then?"

"Husband? _Children_?" Draco scoffed. "She's not married! And if she _was_ married, she wouldn't have any children! That woman hates taking care of anyone else but herself. The only reason she'd finally have any kids would be because there wouldn't be anyone to inherit her money and properties." He and Blaise had mocked Daphne Greengrass numerous times about this, when the three of them would lie around drunk.

Hermione sat there with her mouth open, looking away.

"I cannot believe that a woman as beautiful and as _rich_ as Daphne Greengrass isn't married yet!" she said, as if it was hard to believe that Daphne hadn't tied the knot with anyone yet. Hermione knew that Daphne had a crush on Draco, but she was sure that the heir of the Greengrass fortune would have picked up a gigolo by now.

"Draco, I'm certain that Blaise is married." She said, after studying Draco's face, "Don't tell me he isn't!"

"Okay…fine, he is. But he isn't, really," Draco humored. "Fate seems to intend for us three Slytherins to remain bachelors – and bachelor_ette_, for Daphne – the rest of our lives, although I have no intention of staying single for long." He raised an eyebrow, hoping that she would catch his drift. She understood wrongly.

"You're planning to ask Natasha to marry you," Hermione frowned. She didn't mean for it to be a question, though it sounded like one to Draco.

"No…I mean, I don't know," he recovered, after the shock that her question brought to him. "I think it's too early for that."

Hermione nodded solemnly, and finished up the last of her ravioli.

"We should leave, it's getting late," Draco smiled.

"But you're not yet done with your food," Hermione noted.

"It's all right. I wasn't hungry anyway," Draco stood up from his chair, and helped Hermione out of hers. He led her out of the restaurant. He offered her his hand, and she took it. "I should get you back to your husband, he won't be pleased that you're out this late – with me," he said as their hands were held together, midair.

Her reaction stunned him. "What _husband_?" she gasped as the cab they got into drove away.

Draco looked down at her left hand, which he was holding, and pulled it lightly to get a closer look at the ring.

"But you have a wedding band, Granger, of course you're married," he argued. He wished to the heavens that she would prove him wrong, like she always did.

"Draco, sweetheart," she put her soft hand to his face. Draco closed his eyes, for her loving gesture and sweet words melted his heart.

"I'm not married," she confirmed, enunciating the words slowly. His eyes flew open as the warm feeling on his cheek went away. Hermione was looking down, her hands held out to him, the right one twisting the ring on her left hand around.

And lo and behold, the emerald ring he had given to her was right in front of him, shimmering in the streetlights, its beauty never matching that of the woman he loved.

"You're still wearing it," he breathed.

"I never took it off," she whispered back. "Well…except for that time back in New York…when you sent me back the letter."

"Letter? What letter?" He dropped her hand. "What are you talking about, Hermione?"  
Hermione looked out of the windows of the taxi. The car had stopped right in front of #12 Grimmauld Place.

"Um…I have to go. But Draco, I'll just talk to you some other time." Hermione stepped out to the sidewalk. She could not believe what she was hearing! How could he not know that _he_ sent back the letter that she had sent for _him_? All this was giving her a headache, she needed to lie down.

"Some other time?" Draco repeated. He opened the cab door again and followed her, as she climbed the front steps of the house she was staying in.

"Would you like for us to meet again, same time, same place next week?" he offered, grasping her elbow.

She opened her mouth then closed it again. Then she spoke, "Sure."

Draco dazzled her with his smile again. "All right, Friday, 7:30. I swear I'll be there when you arrive. I won't be late like Weasel was."

"Okay, Draco," she grinned back. "We have a lot more to talk about that I thought."

* * *

**A/N: Now wasn't that juicy? Ahaha. I hope you thought it was. :))**

**_Cheska_**

* * *


	8. Chapter 8 Uncovered

**The upcoming chapter pains me a lot.**

**Anyway...I'm so happy with how the story's doing. I feel so inspired to write because I checked my email last night (I barely check my email) and I found out that around seven or eight people added No Air to their favorite stories list, and a few added me to their favorite authors. I'm so honored.**

**Well then. Enjoy!**

_Chapter 8 – Uncovered_

_But how do you expect me_

_To live alone with just me_

'_Cause my world_

_Revolves around you_

_It's so hard for me to breathe_

_Perhaps I'm getting lucky tonight._

The dark-haired man dropped the bottle of butterbeer he was just starting to drink on his kitchen counter, and walked across his spacious apartment to answer the door. Blaise was lonely these days. When his best mate Draco had learnt that his beloved girlfriend had married someone else, the young Malfoy was never in the mood to go out for some late night fun with him. Then when Natasha Redding came into Draco's life, Draco spent so much time with his new supermodel girlfriend that he barely had any time left to hang out with Blaise.

And then there was his other best friend, Daphne, as well. But she stayed locked up in her flat all the time, moping and sulking. Blaise knew the reason why she was like that was because of Natasha. Daphne had a crush on Draco ever since she laid eyes on him, and that was when all three of them were still in diapers! Daphne secretly wished that Draco Malfoy would be hers. She'd have done anything to have him. That would have been easy for her. She was smart, cunning, manipulative and rich, the qualities that would have been immensely useful for a true Slytherin, and she thought she finally got the chance when Hermione Granger slipped out of his life. But her plans were intercepted, obviously. Daphne probably believed that no one else knew of her true intentions, but she couldn't hide anything from Blaise. He was a Slytherin, too, and he was just as sly and clever as she was.

_Yes. Damn yes, I _am_ getting lucky_.

Standing in Zabini's doorway was a tall, statuesque woman, a serene smile on her face. She was the incarnation of perfection – for him, at least. But she was committed to someone else, so he couldn't have her. Besides, he'd never be happy with anyone like her. She was gone as much as he was, and he wondered how Draco could stand being without her for such long periods of time.

Well. It was because Draco didn't even love her.

"Hey, you," Natasha said so seductively that it made Blaise ache. She was always so seductive, without even meaning to be. Blaise couldn't speak, but Natasha stepped forward with her arms open, and embraced him.

"I'm sorry if I came without any notice. It's so rude of me to come here and not call you first! I do hope you don't mind, Blaise," Natasha apologized. She released him, still standing out in the hall.

Blaise shook his head slightly to clear his fazed vision. "No, no, I don't mind. Please, come in, Natasha." He offered his hand for her coat. She shrugged out of it and draped it on his arm. Natasha waltzed into Blaise's living room and sat on one of his ottomans.

"Would you like anything to drink, Nat?" Blaise proffered, his voice still quivering. Natasha lifted her hand to stop him from approaching the wet bar.

"Thanks, but no, I'd rather not. I'm driving tonight," she explained. "If I started, I fear I wouldn't be able to stop." Blaise shrugged and settled himself on the cushioned footrest in front of her, looking up into her radiant face.

They sat in awkward silence until Natasha spoke. "It's good to see you back, Blaise! You've been gone for – what? Three weeks? Almost a month now! Where've you been?"

"I just visited my mother and her husband in Italy," he shared. "You've also been far away from home, yourself! Across the Atlantic for a photo shoot, eh? Poor Draco, the chap's been all alone without us both."

"Well, he has Daphne to keep him company if he was too lonely," Natasha breathed. He wondered if she knew of Daphne's feelings for her boyfriend, too.

"So…" Natasha grinned. It was time to stop the small talk, and start discussing the matter she come to talk about in the first place.

"Draco and I were walking around the city two weeks ago, and we happened to bump into a friend of yours in a bookstore," she laughed a fake laugh, but it sounded genuine to Blaise. "Actually, _I_ bumped into her…literally!" Blaise laughed along.

"A friend of mine?"

"Yours, and Draco's, and Daphne's, as well. You all know her, Draco tells me," Natasha supplied.

Blaise hummed thoughtfully. "I wonder who that could be."

"Hermione Granger…?" Natasha whispered.

He smiled widely, his eyes showing his surprise. "By God, they've seen each other! I heard she was back. I saw Harry Potter at the Ministry of Magic just last week! He told me they were staying at the house his deceased godfather Sirius gave him. The fellow was pleasant to me, but when I suggested that he tell Hermione to meet with Draco sometime, his face turned sour all so oddly, and he told me he had to rush off somewhere. Strange, really."

"Tell me about Hermione, darling." Natasha placed her chin on her hand, her glossy lips pursed into a questioning smile. "She seems so interesting, a good friend. I'd like to meet with her again."

"I'm surprised Draco hasn't told you about her yet! He'd normally be so full of her! Once you've got him started on her, the only way you'd be able to get him to shut up is a Silencing Charm."

"What do you mean?"

Blaise's forehead crinkled. _If Draco didn't tell her…he didn't want her to know. Then I shouldn't, it's his story to tell_.

"All Draco told me was that she went to Hogwarts with the three of you and she was in Gryffindor with Harry Potter." Natasha's lips turned upward into another warm smile. "Oh, Blaise, please!"  
Blaise couldn't help but give in. He didn't even care why she was interested.

"Oh, well…I don't know where to begin."

"Start with your Hogwarts days, if you please."

"Sure. Okay. Um," Blaise's elbows were on his lap, he was leaning forward to Natasha. "So Granger was in Gryffindor. There was a customary feud between the Slytherins and the Gryffindors, so it was just ordinary that Draco and Daphne and I loathed Hermione and her little goody-goody friends. We hated her a bit more than the other Gryffindorks, for she was a Muggle-born," Blaise snickered, reminiscing. "We threw hexes at each other, and ended up getting into trouble all the time with the Deputy Headmistress – gosh, that McGonagall was always such a hag!"

"I wish I had gone to Hogwarts like you guys did," Natasha sighed. "You had such fun times. Beauxbatons was _so_ damned stuck-up and snobby! Everyone there was too uptight. I swear to God, if I ever have any children, I am _never_ sending them there!"

"Well, girls from Beauxbatons came to Hogwarts in our fourth year, along with some other students from Durmstrang."

"What for?"

"The Triwizard Tournament. That bloody bugger, Potter, got into the Tournament, even if he was underage! No justice at all, I tell you, especially when Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore are put together. Every other boy in our year wanted to compete, but no, it was stupid Harry Potter who had to take all the glory. Believe me, you should have seen Draco's wrath when we got back to our rooms. That Potter dartboard Daphne had given him for his birthday got torn up to shreds." Blaise shook his head jokingly.

"Oh, yeah, I remember now! I was too young to come along then, but I would have loved to visit Hogwarts."

"Well, anyway, we had the Yule Ball that year," Blaise recalled. "I will never forget what Draco said to me that night."

"Oh?" Natasha was suddenly troubled. "What?"

"You know Fleur Delacour, the Beauxbatons Triwizard champion, don't you?"

"Of course I do. Who _wouldn't_ know her?" Natasha snorted. "Last I heard, she was married to one of those red-haired impoverished Weasley boys."

"The Weasleys aren't so impoverished anymore, thanks to the kindly recommendations all their children received from Potter after we graduated from Hogwarts. Ron Weasley plays for the Chudley Cannons now, Potter said last week, his twin brothers' shop is a big hit, and his little sister is Potter's wife. Miss Delacour married their eldest brother, who owns a curse-breaker firm. It rivals Draco's own, but the Malfoys' company is much stronger than Bill Weasley's."

"Blaise," Natasha interrupted. "You were telling me what happened during the Yule Ball, right?"

"Yes, I'm sorry, the conversation slipped. Well, then, Draco and I were among the last remaining in the Great Hall after the ball. The band was playing their last song, a loud, raucous piece. Pansy Parkinson was his date that night, and mine was Daphne. I asked him who he thought was the most beautiful girl in the ball, expecting him to name one of the Beauxbatons girls. But to my surprise, he blurted out Hermione Granger! Thank Merlin no one heard him over the noise. I thought he was just drunk, but Draco never got drunk while we were in school.

"I asked him why he actually thought Granger looked pretty, and he said, 'Oh, come now, Blaise! Were you _blind_? Didn't you see here? I swear, she was stunning, lovelier than Fleur Delacour or all of the Beauxbatons girls put together!' and I was taken aback. We'd been teasing him since third year that he had a crush on Granger – she had wounded his ego and his nose by punching him that year."

Natasha nodded. "What happened afterwards?"

"For the rest of the year, up till sixth year, those two were at each other's throats like cat and dog. Then both of them got assigned as Head Boy and Head Girl in seventh year – the year of the last war against Voldemort – and everything fell into place, just as everyone in the school hoped it would. Draco and Hermione shared the Heads' Tower, much to their chagrin at first, but they warmed to each other, and pretty soon, Draco finally put a claim to her." Blaise's smile was so wide, that it opposed Natasha's frown greatly.

Blaise continued with his story. "After the war, Saint Potter decided to get away for a while. Ginny Weasley went with him, and Hermione took up the offer and came along, too. Then…Granger got engaged. Daphne was the one who told Draco, by accident. She thought he already knew. Poor bloke was devastated. Wouldn't speak to anyone for a week, until I finally knocked the life back into him."

"Is that all, then, Blaise?" Natasha gulped.

"Yes. Yes, I suppose it is," Blaise smiled. "Would you like to know anything else? Oh, I know! I perfectly remember how Draco and I would fly up the stairs to the girls' dormitories on our brooms to visit Daphne!"

Natasha laughed. "Why would you use your brooms to simply climb the stairs? That's silly."

"The stairs to the girls dormitories had a charm on them of some sort. When a boy attempted to enter, the stairs would turn into a ramp, and the poor fellow would go sliding down, utterly humiliated. Daphne hated to see us after Quidditch practice, complaining that we were too stinky and sweaty, so right after me and Draco got back from the pitch, we would fly straight to the Slytherin dungeons and up to Daphne's room to try and piss her off."

"Sounds amusing, Bliase, darling, but may I please use your phone? My mobile ran out of battery," Natasha purred.

"Why, of course. Go right ahead."

Natasha skipped to the telephone resting on top of the bar. She sat on one of the tall stools, realizing that she did not know the number of the house that Hermione was staying in, let alone the fact that she wasn't even sure if #12 Grimmauld Place had a Muggle telephone!

"Blaise?" she called.

"Yes, Natasha?"

"Do you happen to know the number where I can call Hermione Granger?"

"Why, yes, of course, I do." Blaise pulled open a drawer and took out a small black book. He flipped the pages, then handed it opened to Natasha.

"Here it is. Hermione Granger."

"Thanks so much, Blaise," Natasha muttered, without looking away from the telephone number in front of her. She dialed it quickly. A woman received the call.

"Hello?" Ginny Weasley said.

"Yes, hello, good evening. Is this the number where I might reach Hermione Granger?" Natasha inquired ever so politely.

"That's right. May I please ask who is calling?"

"Natasha Redding."

"Oh. Oh! Wow. Hello," Ginny gushed, surprised that a supermodel was asking for her best friend.

"Well, um…may I speak with Miss Granger, please?" Natasha requested.

"I'm sorry, she's not here," Ginny explained. "She went out for dinner with a friend, and I suppose she'll be back late. Would you like to leave a message?"

"Oh, I see. No, it's all right," Natasha frowned. _Dinner with a friend_. "Thank you, though. I'm sorry for the trouble."

"No trouble at all. Okay, then. Goodbye." Ginny Weasley hung up the phone.

Natasha stumbled back to the living room. Blaise had turned the television on, and was clicking on the remote control, looking for something good to watch.

"Did you get to talk to her?" Blaise asked over his shoulder. Natasha joined him on the couch, rummaging through her bag for her cigarettes. She couldn't find them. Draco, once again, had messed with her things and stolen her cigarettes – he hated it when she smoked. Damn. That was her last pack.

"No, she was out of the house."

"Who answered the phone?"

"A woman."

"Ah. That must have been Ginny Weasley, or her mother."

Natasha was still troubled. "Do you know where Draco is?"

"Isn't he at home in his flat?"

"No. He went out tonight."

"Well," Blaise breathed. What was Malfoy up to? "I don't know where he is, sorry, Nat."

"Okay." Natasha zipped her bag. "Blaise," she said, standing up. "I better leave. I have a meeting early tomorrow."

"Oh, all right," Blaise said, taking her coat from where he stored it. He took her to the door."

"Thanks so much for everything, Blaise."

"No problem, Nat. Thanks for stopping by."

* * *

The sound of the door unlocking startled Natasha. She walked from Draco's kitchen, just in time to see Draco sealing the door.

When Draco turned, Natasha was staring at him accusingly, her hands folded across her chest, the usually smooth, pale skin a blotchy red.

"Nat, you surprised me. I didn't think you'd be here," Draco began.

"Well, I'm here," she said coldly. "Where've you been?"

Draco hung his coat up in the closet by the door. "I went out."

"That's obvious. Who were you with?"

"Blaise."

Natasha glared at him, and walked back into the kitchen. She had been chopping an apple when Draco had arrived, and now she didn't trust herself with the knife, anymore, because she might suddenly hurl it at him. He was still standing in the living room.

"Liar!" she yelled. "For your information, _I_ just came from Blaise's flat, and I certainly didn't see _you_ there!"

Draco stormed into the kitchen, standing across Natasha at the other side of the counter, right in front of her knife.

"What? I told you not to go to Blaise's flat alone, Natasha! I said I'd come with you!" Draco scolded.

"Stop making _me_ the bad guy here!" Natasha screeched. "I'm _glad_ I came alone, for now I've learnt _so_ much. The reason why you don't want to leave me alone with Blaise is because you're scared of the things he'd tell me! Now I know where you've been, _who_ you've been with, and the past you had with Hermione Granger!"

"How can you be sure I was with Granger?" Draco challenged.

"I called her house, and the lady who answered said that she was with a _friend_," she spat back. "I asked Blaise if he knew where you were, and he said he didn't know, and just now, you tried to lie to me that you were with _Blaise_. I'm not stupid, Draco, so I put two and two together. Of _course_ you'd want to be with Hermione. You still love her, and you've been lying to me every time you tell me that you love _me_."

Draco was appalled. "How could you say that?"

Natasha took a sharp intake of breath.

"I heard you and Blaise talking."

"What?" Draco snapped.

"The first time I met Blaise. You and Blaise were talking. I overheard you. He was telling you to let me go, because you'd end up hurting me… I didn't want to believe him at first. But I'm glad that he stood up for me, and I'm sorry that I didn't think that his words were true! If I did, it could have saved me all this trouble!"

"Nat –"

"_Don't_," Natasha hissed. "Don't you _dare _talk to me, Draco Malfoy, I hate you!" She didn't realize that she was holding the knife up at him, until she noticed that he was staring at the sharp object pointedly.

"Put. The. Knife. Down," Draco said slowly, warningly. Natasha inhaled again, and the knife dropped to the marble counter with a loud clatter.

"Natasha."

"Draco. We should cool off. You obviously don't feel for me what I feel for you. You be happy with Granger," she said dismissively. Natasha grabbed her bag and coat and started for the door.

He grabbed her arm.

"Let go of me, Draco. Just let go, like Blaise told you before. Let go."

* * *

**Nyahaha. Natasha isn't out of the story yet. Wait for it. :D**


	9. Chapter 9 Single

**I am so incredibly grateful for my Da Vinci Code Travel Guide Book. Because without it, I would have never known _where_ they went after dinner.**

**Some things I feel compelled to apologize for:**

**1) I'm sorry for the late update. I _know_ it's been so long. Sorry..I've been at school. 7th grade is intense, because we are graduating this year. Cut me some slack, I'm stressed!**

**2) I'm sorry for the Ferrari. I obviously don't know anything about cars. It was the first fast car that came to my head. ...I don't even think I'm _sure_ it's fast! kidding. I just didn't have time to do any research like usual.**

**3) I'm sorry if Blaise's little nickname for Daphne is offending. That was just inspired by Serena Van Der Woodsen and her brother Erik. And J.K. Rowling used it in her book, anyway.**

**4) And finally, I'm sorry for the long note. You can go read now! Enjoy!**

_Chapter 9 – Single_

_Got me out here in_

_The water so deep_

_Tell me how you're_

_Gonna be without me_

_If you ain't here_

_I just can't breathe_

_There's no air, no air_

Ginny Weasley came running down the stairs. Her foot slipped on the last step, but Harry caught her.

"Whoa. Slow down there. What's the rush?" Harry chuckled.

"I heard the door close," his wife explained.

"And what, pray tell is so interesting about the sound of a closing door?" he teased her. She rolled her eyes at him.

"Is Hermione here yet?"

"I'm afraid you heard _me_ close the door," Harry said.

"I'm worried about her," Ginny muttered.

Harry cocked an eyebrow. "Why? You know Hemrione can take care of herself. She's _Hermione_. She's fine. She's with your brother, right?"

"_That's_ why I'm worried, Harry!" She poked his chest with her finger. "It's only predictable that Ron would either be super late, or he'd cancel on her. And she worked so hard to look her best…I don't know why Ron would even want to take her to that stupidly expensive restaurant. As if _he_ could afford it," Ginny scoffed.

"Ron gets a big paycheck, you might have forgotten."

"Well…whatever," Ginny shrugged. "Why did you go out of the house, anyway, Harry?"

"I bought some milk. We ran out. I also picked up a few other things we didn't have," Harry pointed to the brown paper bag he had left by the door. Ginny summoned it with her wand, "_Accio_," she commanded.

She was strutting towards the kitchen to tell Kreacher to put Harry's purchases away, when light entered the front hall of #12 Grimmauld Place.

"Harry!" Ginny heard Hermione say. She dropped the bag and went back to Harry and Hermione.

"How was dinner with Ron?" Harry inquired.

Hermione groaned. "Ugh. He didn't even show up. He called me at the restaurant. 'Caught up at the pitch', he said."

"That bloody wanker," Ginny rolled her eyes. "Too bad for him, he missed out on you, because you look fabulous, Hermione."

"Thanks, Gin," Hermione smiled.

Harry wrapped his arm around Ginny's shoulder. "I'll go upstairs now. I better turn in early. There's another meeting with the Ministry tomorrow. Come up soon, okay, Gin?" He kissed the top of Ginny's head.

"Okay," Ginny blushed. She and Hermione made their way to the kitchen.

Kreacher the house-elf was putting away the dishes when the women entered. He stepped off the stool he was standing on and took the groceries from Ginny.

"Good evening, Miss Ginny. Good evening, Miss Hermione." It was a relief that he no longer called any of the Weasleys blood-traitors (except for Ron, when he was being very foul) and he never referred to Hermione as a Mudblood anymore.

After finishing his chores, Kreacher bowed and left Ginny and Hermione alone in the kitchen.

"You know, Natasha Redding called for you," Ginny told.

"Oh?" Hermione hummed, using her spoon to stir the bowl of ice cream she and Ginny were sharing. "I wonder why."

Ginny blinked at her. "Hello? Didn't you hear what I just said? _Natasha Redding_ called, asking to speak with you!"

"And I repeat," Hermione said, nonchalantly. "Oh. I wonder why." Ginny smacked her arm, glaring at her.

"At least _pretend_ to be interested."

"Fine. I'm interested. What did she say?"

"Nothing."

Hermione licked her lips. "Then why are you harassing me with this when she didn't even say anything?"

Ginny ran a hand through her bright hair. "I don't know. I'm just curious why she wanted to call you. I was disappointed she didn't say anything more."

"Maybe she was calling to tell me to return her boyfriend…" Hermione muttered, thinking that Ginny didn't hear.

"Excuse me, _what_?" Ginny demanded. "_Who_ is Natasha Redding's boyfriend, and _why_ would she ask _you_ to return him? Were you _with_ him?"

Hermione chose to ignore Ginny's interrogations, and continued on devouring the chocolate ice cream. Ginny snatched Hermione's spoon, so that Hermione would answer her.

"You're being difficult," one said.

"I could say the same to you!" the other spat back.

"Ginny!"

"Natasha Redding's boyfriend _is_…?"

"No."

"You were with Natasha Redding's boyfriend?"

"Yes! Damn it, Ginny! Yes. All right?" Hermione snapped, shutting her eyes and covering them with her hands, leaning against the table.

"And who, pray tell, is Natasha Redding's boyfriend?"

Hermione grunted.

"I'm waiting." Ginny drummed her slender, white fingers on the wooden kitchen table.

"He's rich, he's handsome he's bloody gorgeous, he's _blond_. _OKAY_?"

Ginny gasped so loudly that you'd have thought she ran out of air. "_Draco Malfoy_! You were with Draco Malfoy! Oh, God, Hermione, tell me what happened, oh, please, please, please!"

"Ginny, _please_. He found me alone at the restaurant where I was supposed to meet Ron, we talked, and we ate, then we shared a cab going home. _Happy_?"

"How'd you know he was Natasha's boyfriend, anyway?"

"I bumped into them, you know, the day we came back," Hermione shared. "I went inside a bookstore and saw Natasha, and Draco was with her…" Her voice fell, but Ginny was adamant, gazing intently into Hermione's eyes.

""Fine," Hermione sighed. "Where would you like for me to start?"

"The restaurant."

"There isn't anything interesting about the restaurant. We just made small talk, and he was being nice, while I was acting so crabby –"

"Hermione…" Ginny interrupted. "You wasted it. You should have been nice to him, too! Merlin, Hermione, you're an idiot."

"Let me finish," Hermione snapped. "I was being difficult at first, but then I warmed up at him…like old times. Anyway, he told me that he had no contact with your family ever since we've been gone, which explains why he didn't know that we stayed in New York, or that Ron had signed with the Chudley Cannons.

"We ate, and then left. Then when we were getting a cab, he told me that he thought that _I_ was married! I was wearing the ring he gave me upside down, so that it appeared like a plain ring. It was on my left ring finger, so he thought it was my wedding band! I told him that I _wasn't_ married, and that I never took the ring off, except for that time in New York when he sent back my letter.

"But then he said that he never received any letter from me, and he never sent anything back, either, because he didn't know where we were!

"We were in front of the house by that time, and we still needed to clear a lot out, so I told him we'd talk more next time."

"Next time?" Ginny gushed. "You mean…"

Hermione sighed. "Yes…I mean we're going out again. Next Friday, at that same restaurant, at 7:30."

Ginny squealed, as if _she_ were the one going on a second date with the man she loved, who she's been away from for months.

"What about Natasha, then?" Ginny suddenly was serious.

"She need not be threatened," Hermione shrugged. "Me and Draco are only going out as old friends, anyway. He seems happy with her. I don't think he'll ever leave a _supermodel_ for _me_." Hermione didn't really think this. Something in the way Draco spoke to her that night made her believe otherwise, like she was still the one who held his heart.

"Yeah. Whatever," Ginny snorted. "I'm not counting on it, Hermione. I know _you_ don't."

"Shut up, Ginevra," Hermione laughed.

"Don't you 'Ginevra' me!" Ginny exclaimed. She flung the big scoop of ice cream on her spoon at Hermione's forehead, and it hit the target squarely.

Hermione raised her hand to the ice cream on her face, her mouth opened wide. She grabbed the entire bowl, and scooped all of its contents with her hand, throwing it all to Ginny.

Minutes later, the two girls sat on the used-to-be clean kitchen floor, which was not slippery, licking ice cream off their hands, doing as much as they can to get the sticky food out of their hair.

Hermione giggled. "Kreacher is _so_ not going to want to clean this mess."

* * *

"Draco!"

Daphne Greengrass stepped into her friend's luxurious and expensively decorated apartment. Nothing had changed since the last time she'd been there, not the sheer white curtains, or the black leather furniture, or the modern pieces of art hanging on the clean white walls. She'd have thought his _girlfriend_ made some changes.

"I'm surprised to see you, Daph," Draco grinned, taking her into his arms. Daphne buried her face in his chest, taking in his scent. He still smelled the same, still intoxicating. That didn't change, too.

"But I'm glad you're here," he added. "I haven't gotten any calls from you for a long time. I thought you disappeared into thin air!"

Daphne laughed. "I've been at my parent's mansion all this time. And guess what? I redecorated the whole place! It was too damned dark and depressing. I got new curtains…and stuff." Liar. She'd been in her flat the whole time she hadn't spoken to Draco, drinking, smoking, and thinking of ways to lure Natasha Redding away from him. Magic or no magic, she would do it, just as long as she could have her way with him. Daphne was raised spoiled and pampered by her parents, like most rich pureblood kids, used to getting everything that she wanted. She couldn't understand why it was so difficult for her to win Draco's heart.

"Ah. I'll make sure to stop by there next time I'm in the area," Draco noted. He flopped down on the couch, and beckoned for Daphne to come sit with him.

"Er…yeah…sure," she stuttered. Ugh. Now she would _really_ have to do something about the manor house her parents had left her in their will. She took the space beside him, wrapping one arm around his waist, holding on tightly, her hand lost in his silky hair. His arm went around her shoulder.

"I expected Natasha would be here. Is she in the States again?" Daphne inquired.

"We broke up, sadly," Draco said, his tone extremely far from disheartened.

Daphne lifted her head to look at his face. "You don't sound sad at all."

His hand stroked the soft, raven hair belonging to the woman who had been his best friend since childhood. "Yeah, well…I'm kind of relieved I finally got out of it. It's hard to stay in a relationship with someone you don't really love, especially when you've been longing for someone else, you know?" Daphne nodded vigorously.

"And it's not so bad, because I found out that the girl I really love has been waiting for me all along," Draco continued. He stopped caressing her hair. "But I'm not really sure she's been waiting for me."

"Oh, yes. Yes, Draco, she has been waiting for you for so, _so_ long," Daphne breathed. Her heart was beating twice – no, _thrice_ as fast now.

"I'm glad I got to see her again. I didn't expect that I'd ever get a chance. She just seemed so…far from me."

"Good for you! I'm so happy you've finally found her, Draco."

"Yeah, and this time, I'm never letting her go. I've learnt from my mistakes."

"I completely agree."

"I wonder if she loves me as much as I love her."

"She does, Draco, believe me."

"I hope so, because if Friday goes well, we'll work our way up, then I'll ask her to marry me."

"Oh, Draco, I – _what_? _Friday_? What Friday?" Daphne suddenly bolted upright on her seat.

"Friday. I'm meeting Hermione for dinner on Friday. It's our second date," Draco boasted, so proud of himself for getting a second date with Hermione Granger. He was so distracted by his daydreamt hat he didn't notice that Daphne was just about ready to rip all her hair out. Shame if that were to happen, though. Those dark black locks were just too gorgeous.

Daphne hid her face in her hands, to hide the blush that resulted from the embarrassment. She could not believe that she actually thought Draco was referring to _her_. Dear Merlin, she must have sounded so _freaking_ stupid!

But never mind that! _Hermione Granger_! _Hermione_ freaking _Granger_! She was _back_? Draco already saw her? And Draco had actually gone out on a date with her? This could not be happening! Her two-minute fairytale was now over. Two minutes ago, she thought that he was finally proclaiming his love for her. Hermione Granger was out of his life, and she didn't even have to do anything to get rid of Natasha! Everything was just perfect, so fucking _perfect_.

"_Hermione Granger is back_?" Daphne screeched. "What? When? How?"

"She got back on Valentines' Day, with Potter and the Weasel's little sister. Nat and I, we saw her in a bookstore that day. Then Weasel stood her up the night he asked her to have dinner with him, and I took his place," Draco explained. "We arranged for a second date because there's been this kind of mix up. She was telling me about a letter, and I was telling her why I thought she was married, and we didn't know what either one was talking about! Say, Daphne…who'd you hear from that she was married, anyway? You were the one who told me."

"I didn't say _married_, Draco. I said _engaged_," Daphne gulped, trying to buy as much time as she could to think up another good lie. Oh, dear Miss Greengrass, you're certainly talented at deceit, aren't you. "I was at the Ministry working on some legal stuff my parents left behind, and I overheard a gossip who was apparently close to one of the Weasleys talking about Granger's engagement. Why did _you_ think she was already married?"

"Well, she had a ring on her finger both times I saw her…but then, I saw that it was actually the ring that _I _gave her! Can you believe it, Daph? She was still wearing it!" Draco smiled. Daphne's chest tightened to see him _this_ happy about Hermione Granger.

"Wow. That's nice," Daphne mumbled, but she didn't sound like she thought it was nice at all. Draco was too overjoyed to pay attention to her tone of voice, though.

She stroked his soft, flawless skin and pried her hand away, aching to have her hands on him once more. Daphne kissed his cheek briefly.

"Hey, wait. Are you leaving?" Draco asked, not getting up from the sofa while Daphne was putting her coat on.

She nodded. "Yeah. I have to get to Blaise's. You're not the only one I have to visit. I have to show him I'm good and alive, too," she laughed.

"All right, then. You want me to drive you there?" Draco offered. Daphne looked down at his bare, muscled chest, and his silk black boxers.

"No, thank you. I have my own car." He escorted her down to her car, and waved as she drove away.

Daphne banged her head on the steering wheel when she stopped at a red light. She had no idea what she was going to do now. It was a dead end. There was no other way to make Hermione Granger go away. And there was definitely no changing Draco's love for her. All her hard work would be for nothing, because Draco would probably still end up together with that good-for-nothing Mudblood.

She flipped her phone open and searched for Blaise's mobile number.

* * *

Blaise Zabini clicked on the mute button on his remote control and took his little cellular phone out of his pocket. He glanced briefly at the caller ID, then answered the call.

"Hey, you bitch," he smirked. "Finally decided to give me a call, eh? It's about time. What's up, Daph?"

"Blaise," Daphne whispered, the tears in her eyes made her voice shake. "Blaise, I'm on my way home to my flat, and I really need some company. Can you please come over? Please, Blaise?"

Blaise massaged his temples. "Sure, Daphne. Are you all right?"

"Yes, yes, I am. I just want to see you, and I don't think I'm well enough to drive any longer," Daphne explained.

"Yeah, that's just fine, then," Blaise replied. "You're really sure _you're_ fine, Daph? You're not coming down with anything serious, are you?"

"I told you, Blaise, I'm okay," Daphne insisted. "So, you'll come?"

"I'll be right there."

He grabbed his jacket, keys and wallet, turned the TV off, and slid into his car, instead of just apparating, for he was unsure if Daphne's wards would let allow him entry. He wondered why Daphne sounded so strange. There was this severe sadness in her voice.

Daphne had just parked her car by the sidewalk when he drove up her street. As soon as he got out of his car, she walked up to him, grasped his hand, and led him up to her apartment.

"Have a drink if you want one, Blaise." Daphne left Blaise standing by the door, and went straight to her bedroom, leaving the door open. He followed her.

"Nah. I don't think I want a hangover tomorrow," Blaise chuckled. Daphne removed her coat, her shoes, and Blaise did the same. He sat on the edge of the bed as she lay down, closing her tired eyes.

"Lie down, Blaise, please," she requested. "Stay with me tonight. I need you right now." Blaise obliged and placed his arm under Daphne's head. She snuggled up closer.

"Let's just sleep," she yawned, and she was suddenly asleep. Blaise covered her and himself with the warm blanket resting at the foot of the bed, kissed Daphne's forehead, then fell asleep himself.

Daphne was the first one to wake when the sunlight started to shine through the curtains. Blaise stirred when she moved her head from its position on his arm. He opened his eyes slightly. Daphne punched his chest playfully and giggled.

"Morning already? Hey there, bitch. D'you sleep well?" Blaise asked. Daphne nodded. She pushed the covers off of them, and got up from the bed. She walked around her large room, stripping out of the clothes she had fallen asleep in, so she was walking around the room in only her bra and panties in front of Blaise. He snickered, but she didn't mind it. She got a fuzzy robe from behind the door of her bathroom, and fastened it on.

"Thanks for spending the night with me, Blaise," she smiled, twisting her long, wavy hair into a messy bun.

"No problem." Blaise unbuttoned his tight shirt, then rested back on the pillows with his hands behind his head.

"I'll cook breakfast for you, since you were so kind to me," Daphne laughed. She exited the room and made way for the kitchen. Blaise wondered what Daphne would cook, doubting that she even knew _how_ to cook.

He rose from the bed some time later to use the bathroom, when his foot squashed something. The end of a shoebox was sticking out from under the bed. He lifted the box lid, to check out if he damaged whatever was inside (Daphne would kill him if he wrecked any of her beloved shoes). There were envelopes inside the shoebox. Letters. Every single on of them was for Draco Malfoy of Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire, England, and the return address on every envelope was Hermione Granger's apartment in the Upper East Side of New York City, New York, USA.

Daphne walked in just then with coffee, scrambled eggs, and a plate of toast. She saw Blaise flipping through the numerous envelops she had hidden in an old Jimmy Choo shoebox under her bed. She informed him of her presence by her loud gasp.

She placed the tray of food down safely on the bed before she could drop it. She avoided Bliase's gaze, trying to look as innocent as possible.

"What's this?" he demanded. "Daphne, these are all for _Draco_, and all of them are from Hermione! From New York! Why do you have these?"

Blaise contemplated for a moment, then said, completely appalled, "You intercepted all of Hermione's Owls for Draco! Daphne!" He threw the envelopes on the bed, sweeping the box off his lap as he stood. Daphne burst into tears.

"Draco's been without love for so long, Daphne, and it was all because of you! He's been in so much pain! How could you do this? He's your _best friend_, but yet you hurt him! Don't his feelings mean anything to you? Why, Daphne? _Why_?"

"His feelings for _me_ mean everything, Blaise!" Daphne screamed, falling on the wood floor. "I'm sick of just being his friend! I love him, Blaise, I love him more than a friend, and I know that you know that! I stopped Granger's Owls from getting to him so that he'd think that she forgot about him, and when that didn't work, _I_ told him that she had already gotten engaged to another man in New York. He asked me if I knew where he could find her, and I said that she wasn't in New York anymore. Yes, Blaise, I planned _all_ of that! I did it because I love him, Blaise. I love him so, so much. I just wanted him all for myself. You could cut me some slack, you know, since not everything went according to plan. Yes, I _did_ take Hermione Granger out of Draco's life, but he suddenly found Natasha and I wasn't counting on that! If you could only imagine how _painful_ it is to see the man you've loved for so long so enamored with another woman! You don't know what that's like, Blaise! I'm sorry that I did all those things, but it was just because I love him so, _so_ much."

"That wasn't _love_, Daphne," Blaise retorted. "That was selfishness! You weren't thinking about anyone but yourself! You wanted Draco because you would be happy if you had him, but you never stopped to think about whether or not _he_ would be happy. That's just so horrible, Daphne. I never thought you'd stoop so low." His skin was stretched, white over his knuckles, gripping his fists too tight to keep from shaking.

His best friend remained on the floor, weeping her eyes out. Yes, she was still his best friend, even through the treachery she had done. He could feel her pain, and since he was raised the same way she was, and knew her so well, he could understand her reasons, although he knew that her reasons were unjustifiable.

Daphne saw Blasie's feet coming nearer to her, knowing that he was going to scold her. What he did next was truly unexpected. Blaise placed his hands on each of Daphne's arms gently, and carried her to the bed. He stroked her hair, rubbed her back and whispered comfortingly to her as she cried.

Finally she reached for one of the cups of coffee she had prepared, and sipped it daintily.

"I'm sorry, Blaise," she whispered.

Blaise sighed. "It's not me you should apologize to. It's Draco, and Hermione, as well."

"Don't tell him yet, please? Let me be the one."

"Of course, I'll be right there with you when you do." Blaise pulled her head towards him and kissed her hair. "This looks nice. Now, did you really cook this?"

Daphne rolled her eyes, and popped her forkful of scrambled eggs into Blaise's mouth.

"That's quite delicious," he chewed, "So I'm going to have to assume that _you_ didn't make this."

"Wanker," Daphne muttered. "Of course I made that! You didn't think my mother would let me leave home without learning how to prepare a decent meal, did you? Damn you, Zabini, you're an idiot."

* * *

"I really should be going, Gin. It's almost seven," Hermione insisted.

"And you promised to meet him at seven-thirty," Ginny sighed. "It's too early for you to leave. You might get there before he does."

"What's wrong with that?"

Ginny walked over to Hermione and pulled her to the bed.

"Careful," Hermione warned. "You'll crinkle my dress." She smoothed out the dark purple satin and walked to the full-sized mirror hanging on the wall of Harry and Ginny's bedroom. Mrs. Potter joined her there.

"Draco's going to be impressed. You look better than he's ever seen you before," Ginny complimented, pushing a stray curl away from Hermione's dress.

"I hope so," Hermione breathed.

"Are you excited?"

"Kind of. Yeah…"

"Ginny smirked. "You should be. You're finally getting a chance to reconcile with your long lost lover." She twirled to the bed and laid down on it.

"Stop making it sound like some fairytale, Gin," Hermione laughed.

"Are you hoping you'll go back to how the two of you were before?" Ginny smiled dreamily."

"I wish," Hermione frowned, pacing around the room nervously. "I told you. It's not so easy to give a supermodel up for a frumpy old witch like me."

"Oh, shut up, because you know you are neither frumpy nor old," Ginny scowled. "You know Draco, Hermione. He could have easily had Daphne Greengrass for all these years – and heaven _knows_ how hard that girl has it for Draco! But look. He pushed her aside, for you."

Hermione smiled gratefully. "I have to get moving, Gin. Thanks a lot for helping me look decent."

"No problem, Granger. What else are friends for?" Ginny followed Hermione down the stairs, and as Hermione opened the door, eager to get to the restaurant for her date with Draco, there he was, standing on the doorstep, her Greek god of an ex-boyfriend. Damn. No one should be allowed to look so tempting. Looking as delicious as Draco Malfoy was at that moment should be illegal, for many reasons! It was a health hazard, for example, because one might lose their breath just by staring at him, like Hermione.

"Good evening, Mrs. Potter," Draco said pleasantly to Ginny. He took Hermione's hand, brought it to his lips, and kissed her knuckles. "And a very good evening to you, Miss Granger." Draco listened to himself carefully, making sure he didn't sound as breathless as he really was, breathless by the sight of her. The dark cloth she was wearing contrasted with her rosy skin, giving her a glow. The dress wasn't as long as the one she had been wearing last week, only reaching down to her knees.

"This is for you." He handed Hermione the flowers he had acquired for her. Hermione took a whiff of the flowers, then handed them to Ginny.

"I'll find a vase for these. These are beautiful, by the way, Draco," Ginny said, running off to the kitchen.

Draco and Hermione stayed frozen by the doorway, studying each other.

_He still looks so young, as if he never aged from when I last saw him_, Hermione reflected.

_She still has her spell on me, like always_, Draco thought.

"Would you like to go in for a while? It's chilly out here," Hermione offered.

"Sure." It was when she started leading him towards the parlor that they realized that their hands were still entwined, but neither minded it, though Hermione blushed, and Draco ran his hand through his hair, smirking.

"You have to see Harry, Draco," Hermione beamed, as soon as she had him seated on one of the antique sofas. "I can't _wait_ to see his face when he sees you! I think Ginny just called him."

"Yeah, I did," Ginny said, entering the room. Harry jogged down the stairs, a smile on his face.

Ginny wrapped her arm around his waist, just in case he decided to lunge at their guest and attack him. "Look who's here, Harry." Her husband's smile disappeared as he laid eyes on Malfoy, sitting across Hermione in the parlor.

"Malfoy," he grunted. "What are you doing here?"

"He's going out with Hermione tonight," Ginny said with a warning tone in her voice for Harry. "Don't be a spoilsport, _dear_."

"Where are you going?" Harry demanded.

"Oh. You know that restaurant Ron wanted to meet me at last week? That's where," Hermione replied.

"What are you going to do there?"

"Eat. Obviously, Potter," Draco smirked. Hermione laughed and slapped his thigh, where her hand remained afterwards. They seemed extremely comfortable with each other.

Harry glared at Draco.

"And what _else_?"

"There's nothing else on the agenda, Potter…unless _she_ has some other plans," Draco teased, making Hermione and Ginny laugh once more. Draco enjoyed Hermione's laughter for a moment, then checked his watch.

"I guess we better go now, Hermione, before your nanny over there has an aneurysm." Hermione and Ginny guffawed, while Harry stood in the corner, scowling. Draco helped Hermione into her coat, and they were almost out of the door, when Harry spoke again.

"Wait, Malfoy," he called. "Have her home early, won't you?"

Draco and Hermione exchanged glances, then laughed out loud.

"Yeah, sure, _Dad_," Hermione taunted. "We'll be back early."

Harry could still not be assured that his best friend was in good hands, and he followed them out of the house to Draco's car, which was waiting for them by the sidewalk.

The two residents of Grimmauld Place stood at the doorsteps, admiring the shiny, black Ferrari. Harry raised a weak hand and pointed at it.

"That's _your _car?" he wanted to know. Draco shrugged at Hermione and Harry's expressions, and opened the passenger door for Hermione. She rushed down to him, eager to get into the vehicle.

"I'll see you later then, Harry!" she called, just before Draco shut the door. Draco ran around to the other side, opened his door, and smirked at Harry, before getting in.

Draco was driving slow enough to be acceptable by the speed limits enforced within the city. Hermione giggled unexpectedly. He turned his attention from the road to steal a glance at her radiant face.

"I didn't know _you_ could drive!" she said.

"There's no other way to get around," he replied casually.

Hermione cocked an eyebrow at him. "You're a wizard, Malfoy. I know you, of all people, can apparate." He sniggered. She rolled her eyes. "Why do you even have this car?"

"Because it's fast. My own anti-depressant," he explained. "Driving around in circles in the empty roads of the countryside is a better remedy to bad days than getting drunk. I had enough hangovers to last a lifetime when you were gone…" Draco's voice drifted, and the atmosphere in the Ferrari got awkward, for a reason that Hermione could not decipher.

"It's too expensive a car to just race around in," Hermione scolded.

"You forget that I am one of the richest wizards in the world," he bragged. "I could just easily buy a new one."

She sighed, and noticed that they were already parked in front of the restaurant. A valet opened the door for her, and waited for Draco to hand the keys over to him.

Hermione took Draco's arm as they stepped into the restaurant. The maitre'd graciously escorted them to the table for two that was reserved for Mr. Draco Malfoy and company.

After he had helped her into her seat, and they had ordered their food, Hermione folded her hands delicately on the table in front of her, the emerald ring glistening. Draco took her left hand, and stared at the most prominent piece of jewelry she was wearing.

"You know," he chuckled, "You should stop wearing your ring on that finger. People, especially the men, will think you're married. It would scare them away."

"Even if they weren't turned off by the ring, I wouldn't be interested anyway, so I think the ring is doing me some good," Hermione blushed. "Does Natasha know you're here? I bet she'd be mad if you didn't tell her."

"There's no more Natasha," Draco smiled. "She broke up with me just this week. I'm a single man, free to do whatever I please, with whoever I want to do it with."

"Whatever did she break up with you for? Were you being a heartless bastard, Draco Malfoy?" Hermione teased. Draco was smiling, she could see, as if his recent breakup with his supermodel girlfriend didn't affect him at all.

He winced. "Let's not talk about that." Hermione nodded understandingly.

"I found solace in Daphne," he said. "She came to my flat the other day, after her inexplicable prolonged absence."

"Oh? How is she, then?"

"She's fine. She came up from her parents' place in the country. _Redecorated_, she said." Draco said it as if he didn't really believe that Daphne had redecorated her parents' country manor. Daphne Greengrass just didn't have the patience to endure all that work, even though all she had to do was pick the furnishings, the color of the curtains, carpet, et cetera, that would be brought in.

"It was funny, though," he added. "_She_ was the one who had told me that you were engaged to be married. I asked her who told her so, and she said she heard it around the Ministry, fro someone who was acquainted with the Weasleys."

"That's peculiar. The Weasleys _know_ that I never got engaged! I barely met a man in New York," she admitted.

The food came, and after Hermione had taken her first bite out of her lasagna, Draco cleared his throat and spoke again.

"Now, would you please explain to me what letter you were talking about the other night? Because you completely lost me there," he requested.

"Um," Hermione gulped, "All that time I was up in New York, I had been sending you so many Owls that I've already lost count. The last letter I sent you was sent back to me. I guessed that it was your way of telling me that you…weren't interested anymore."

"That's not true, and I can't believe you actually thought that," Draco scoffed. "Granger, I was never _not_ interested! Believe me, I never sent you back a letter, I didn't even receive _anything_."

"Then who –" Hermione stopped mid-sentence, trying to absorb what Draco was telling her. "Then who sent it back to me? And the addresses on the letters were always clear! I can't believe the owls would have made any mistake!"

Draco shrugged. "Beats me, but I swear to Merlin, Hermione, I never did what you think _I_ did. I never lost my love for you."

Hermione dropped her fork and slumped on her seat. "Suddenly I'm not so hungry anymore," she muttered.

"Yeah, me too," Draco agreed. "Would you like to leave already?"

"If that would be okay."

"Sure." He asked for the check, paid for dinner, and the two of them stepped out into the cold evening air. Draco was just about to head to his car, when Hermione stopped him.

"Draco, do you think we could walk around for a while? The wind feels wonderful tonight," she asked. He nodded, and offered her his hand. Their fingers laced together. They entered St. James Park, strolling slowly.

"You never stopped loving me?" Hermione inquired, her eyes closed, enjoying the soft wind blowing at her face.

"No. Never."

"Then what about Natasha?"

"I'm sad to say that I never really loved her. She was just a…distraction. To keep me away from doing anything rash, after Daphne shared with me what she had learned about you. I regret hurting her that way. I feel awful about it."

"I feared that you didn't want me anymore."

"I was scared of the same thing."

"You haven't given your hear away to anyone else?"

Draco halted, turning to face her, smirking. "Granger, you are absurd. How could I give my heart away when it wasn't even with me? It was far, across the ocean, in New York actually. It was always with you. It will always be yours."

"I intend on keeping it," she whispered. She buried her face into Draco's chest, and he held her in his arms, keeping his head bent low.

"I'll always love you, Granger."

Hermione let a tear escape, filled with joy to be in his embrace again. "Draco, I love you."

He let go of her, startling her a bit.

Draco walked around, then started laughing. He sat down on one of the park benches. Hermione went to him, her eyebrows raised. She sat down, too, leaning on his arm.

"I can't put this off any longer," he said, the smile in his voice unmistakable.

"What?"

He took her face into his hands. "Hermione, I've been waiting to do this for so long. I don't know why I didn't do it when I gave you the ring, so that you wouldn't go with Potter to New York anymore because I had a claim on you. I love you so very much. Now, I'm sure that you love me too. So." Draco stood up, and took something out of his pocket.

Hermione gasped. "Don't you _dare_ kneel down, Malfoy!" she exclaimed. "That's so overrated, and people will stare at us," she snarled, though she knew that there were only three other people in that are of the vast park with them.

"Okay. I won't." He grasped her hand, and she stood up, too. Draco flipped the top of the small velvet box he held open.

"Marry me, then, Granger, if you really do love me, because I know that I love you and that I'd be ready to pledge my whole life to you anytime, anywhere."

Hermione fingered the heart-shaped diamond resting in the velvet, getting it out of the box, admiring it in the moonlight.

She looked up at Draco's waiting silver eyes, and nodded.

The smirk that she loved appeared on his face, and his lips fell on top of hers.

* * *


	10. Chapter 10 Struggle

_Chapter 10 – Struggle_

_Tell me how I'm supposed_

_To breathe with no air_

_Can't live, can't breathe_

_With no air_

_That's how I feel whenever_

_You're not there_

_There's no air, no air_

The tall blond woman apparated into her boyfriend's apartment, full of hope. If she thought she was happy before, she went ecstatic when she learnt that his wards hadn't kept her out. He was waiting for her to come back.

She felt awkward that _she_ would have to be the one to make the first move. She always thought that he was man enough to try and apologize first. But what the heck. She loved him, and wanted him back. All else was unimportant.

Natasha couldn't live without her Draco. She was fairly certain that he couldn't live without her, too, although she had been haunted still by the conversation between Blaise and Draco she had overheard long ago. Natasha had hoped that the fight they had a week ago was just a horrible nightmare that was already over. She strode around his flat, looking for him. She found Draco fast asleep on the armchair in his room, his head turned sideways, away from her. His tie was hanging from his neck, the top half of his navy blue long-sleeved shirt unbuttoned. She ran her hand through the hereditary white-blond Malfoy hair. Draco's face seemed different to her. It was no longer pallid. There was a healthy color on his skin now.

She leaned down so that her face was level with his. Her cool breath on his face awoke him.

"Nat," he greeted, sounding as if he wasn't at all delighted to see her. "Er…what are you doing here?" Draco pushed his hair away from his face, but Natasha giggled when his bangs just fell back down on his forehead again. He stood from the armchair, and threw his necktie on his bed.

Natasha wrapped her arms around his neck from behind him. She kissed his throat, and he instantly froze, and his breathing ceased momentarily. He shrugged out of her hold as politely as he possibly could.

She giggled again, and made herself comfortable on his bed, laying her head down on the pillows.

"I guess you're tired," Natasha sighed.

"Yeah," he gulped, "I kind of am."

"Then I won't be long," she grinned. "I just came over here to say that I'm sorry for last week. Draco, I truly am sorry. I didn't like what happened either."

"It's all right, Nat, you doin't have to," Draco insisted.

"No, please. We can't start patching up our relationship once more if we don't ask forgiveness for the things we've done wrong." She had gotten up from the bed and walked over to him, placing her hand on his cheek. The color suddenly disappeared from his face.

"We still have another chance, sweetheart," she whispered. "I want to make this all right."

He pulled away from her and went straight into his room's adjoining bathroom. "You broke up with me, Nat, didn't you?"

Another giggle escaped her. He wondered now if she was drunk.

"Draco, I recall telling you that we should _cool off_. I never said I was ending things permanently."

Guilt filled Draco Malfoy's chest. He felt bad that he had thought that she was giving him his freedom, and gone off enjoying his life without her in it.

"Forgive me, Natasha. I misinterpreted. I thought that it was all over," he said firmly.

Natasha narrowed her eyes at him. "What do you mean? Don't you _want_ to get back together with me?" She fell down on the armchair she had found him in.

He inhaled slowly then made his way to her. He knelt before her, taking both her hands into his.

"Natasha," he began, enunciating every syllable in her name. He continued in a gentler tone. "I am marrying Hermione Granger. This weekend."

She tore her hands from his and pressed her pointy stiletto heel to his chest, kicking him away. He seemed unhurt by this, which disappointed her. She wanted to do as much bodily harm to him as she could.

Natasha paced around the room. Her fists balled up. She collapsed on the bed, hiding her face into her hands.

"_What_?" she demanded dangerously.

"I thought Blaise would have already told you," Draco explained. "I'm sorry, but I wanted to keep you out of it, anyway. I didn't know how you would feel about it, and I didn't want to hurt your feelings."

"_You didn't want to hurt my feelings_?" Natasha hissed. "I don't think you succeeded!"

"Nat, please," he frowned. "I didn't know what to do about it, so I thought I just wouldn't tell you."

"And what would happen if you didn't tell me, Draco?" she cried. "You'd be eternally happy with Hermione Granger while I sit around wasting my life waiting around for you to come for me? You'd keep me wishing fruitlessly? Dreaming endlessly?"

"I honestly didn't think about that," he admitted shamefully. "I'm really sorry for hurting you, Nat. I know you think that I must be the most awful person in the world right now."

"_Must_ be? No, you bastard, I think you _are_ the most awful, most horrid person in the world! You kept me hoping that you would ask me to come back to you! But no, you're getting _married_! _This_ weekend!"

"You could come…if someway, it would make you feel better," he stuttered.

"You're asking _me_ to come to your wedding? _Why_? So Hermione Granger can rub it in my face more that _she's _the one marrying you? I don't think so," Natasha snapped. Draco sighed, aggravated. Natasha started for the door.

"And no thanks," she barked. "I'm going to be out of the country this weekend."

"Another photo shoot?" he inquired in a friendly manner. She responded, with her reply far from friendly.

"No. Just to get away from you!" And with that, Natasha yanked the front door open, exiting Draco's flat, and slamming the door behind her. She'd disapparate from the hallway, right after she's had a good cry.


	11. Chapter 11 At Long Last

**The italicized part is a flashback, btw. :**

* * *

_Chapter 11 – At Long Last_

It had taken every ounce of self-control Daphne had to not respond when the minister asked if anyone had any objections. She bit down on her lip_ hard_, making her red lips even redder. She clenched herself so tightly, to keep from standing and wrecking the party, that her long French-manicured nails were already piercing her skin through the sleeves of her dress. She was also staring straight ahead at the green expanse of land on the grounds of Malfoy Manor, to avoid looking at the bride and groom, who wore matching grins on their faces, so different from the grimace on Daphne's own.

She couldn't believe that all her plans failed, and that Draco had married Hermione Granger at the end. It was even all so shocking that _Lucius Malfoy_ let his only son marry a _mudblood_, let alone hold the wedding on his own estate!

Her world had officially turned upside down.

Why wasn't _she_ the one in the long white dress right now, pledging her love and life eternally to Draco?

And moreover, why wasn't _she_ the one Draco Malfoy was pledging _his_ love and life to?

Why did she have to be the one who ended up being the bad guy? Why was she the one who was confessing her sins to him and his mudblood after their wedding?

Well. The only way she could escape her fate now was to get drunk.

_Very_ drunk. She wondered if she could get the waiters to serve champagne _now_.

Harry stood at the front row of the left side of the aisle, where the bride's guests were seated. Hermione's party consisted only of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Potter, Arthur and Molly, Bill and Fleur, Percy, George and Ron Weasley. Hermione wanted to keep the wedding as small and as private as possible, which is why Draco had only brought along his parents (who were warmer to Hermione than she thought they would be) and a few other friends. Blaise Zabini was there with his parents, along with Daphne Greengrass, Pansy Parkinson and her husband, Theodore Nott and his new girlfriend, and five other Slytherins Draco had yet to introduce to her.

The Boy-who-lived could hardly believe that Hermione would still marry Draco Malfoy, even after all that happened, because he still wasn't convinced that Draco had nothing to do with the night in New York when Hermione almost went suicidal. He also couldn't believe that Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy had accommodated the wedding in their own backyard, which, Harry thought, was too big to be considered to be a backyard. His wife Ginny was standing right beside the bride, as Hermione's maid-of-honor.

Blaise Zabini stood beside Draco, looking like he'd never been as smug in his entire life, for many reasons. His best friend was getting married to the girl of his dreams, and naturally, Blaise was happy for them. It was mostly because Blaise could no longer stand being subject to accompany Draco on his maniacal road races every time he was feeling down because he was aching for Hermione.

* * *

_"Get in the car, Blaise!" Draco hissed dangerously._

_Blaise fumbled for the handle. When he finally got the door open, he slid into the seat, and slammed the door, fastening his seatbelt._

_Well. That was all he could do to secure his safety, at the moment._

_Draco watched his friend. Seeing that Blaise was perturbed and pissed at him, a huge smirk appeared on his face._

_"You ready, then?"_

_"You're insane, Malfoy. You know that, right."_

_The blond chuckled grimly, and to Blaise's horror, pushed the pedal with his foot so hard that the car slammed forward. Blaise lunged away from his seat, held back only by his seatbelt._

_"You brought yourself into this, sucker," Draco accused over the loud squealing of the car's wheels as he drove maniacally around the empty roads surrounding his parents' estate. "You were stupid enough to mention _her."

_He said the last word with so much venom in his voice that a chill rose up Blaise's spine._

_It was going to be a long night._

* * *

Blaise would protest, yelling at Draco to stop because he'd end up killing them both, but Draco would just laugh and make fun of him for acting like such a little girl. His other best friend, Daphne Greengrass would also admit her faults to Draco – and Hermione, as well, much to Daphne's chagrin – after the wedding. Today was also, coincidentally, Daphne's 20th birthday. Blaise had been waiting for Daphne to turn twenty for quite some time.

But whatever all the guests were thinking was indifferent to Draco and Hermione, for as the minister said the closing words to the ceremony, Hermione had become Draco's wife.

At long last.

Draco smirked as he and the new Madam Malfoy mingled with the wedding guests, and stole a few kisses when no one was looking. He was glad to see his Slytherin friends, whom he had been estranged from for almost a year.

Narcissa Malfoy had engaged Daphne into a conversation, which Daphne was paying absolutely no attention to. She swigged the last of her seventh glass of champagne, in hopes of getting drunk enough so that she wouldn't have to do what she had promised Blaise. She wished she didn't have to apologize to the newlyweds anymore, because after all, they were already together, and her apologies wouldn't be of any use anymore, then she cursed herself for ever getting drunk that night, and letting herself be manipulated by Blaise Zabini. It wasn't really his fault, she knew that, for she was the one who brought the wine, and who insisted that they celebrate. Blaise didn't know what they were celebrating before, but now it was clear that the reason why she was in such a good mood that night was because she had succeeded in getting Hermione Granger out of the picture, out of Draco's life, out of the way of her happy ending. Anyway, he was joking, and, in her drunken stupor, she had thought he was serious. She was even the one who insisted on the Unbreakable Vow, though Blaise was trying to talk her out of it, going on and on about how he was only kidding, but she was stubborn and stoned, and Blaise succumbed to it, since he wouldn't be the one at the wrong end of the bargain. He wouldn't mind.

Blaise and Daphne had talked about making her confession as quiet as possible, even practicing it the night before, when he slept over at her flat.

"Narcissa, do you mind if I go over to Draco first? I haven't had a chance to congratulate him yet," she explained.

"Why, of course, my dear. I don't mind," Narcissa smiled. She stole a glance at her son and her new daughter-in-law.

So Daphne extracted herself politely from Narcissa's chatter, and stumbled over to the happy couple, who were feeding each other cake and going around greeting the guests.

"Hey, Daph. Having fun?" Draco asked as she stopped in front of them, looking uptight as ever.

"Yeah, sure," Daphne lied. She lowered her voice and leaned towards Draco. "Can I talk to you, please?" Draco raised his eyebrows. Daphne breathed in, getting ready for Draco's – and Hermione's – wrath. She knew he would hate her eternally for this.

Blaise saw Daphne's little action, and made his way to stand beside her and support her.

"Go ahead, Daph." Blaise placed a firm hand on Daphne's shoulder; he was so sure she was going to fall over and pass out. He had seen the seven flutes of champagne she consumed. "Say whatever it is you have to tell them."

Daphne could not help but feel sick. The champagne was starting up her throat, and Hermione's sweet smile did not help at all.

"I…" Daphne trailed off. Blaise's hand tightened on her shoulder.

"Don't hate me for whatever it is I'm going to say, please?" Daphne implored.

Draco laughed, and so did Hermione. "It couldn't be that bad, could it?"

"Oh, yes, believe me, it _could_," Blaise smirked. Daphne slapped his hand away.

"Why don't _you_ say it, then, Blaise, if you want them to know so badly!" Daphne snapped.

Blaise shrugged.

"The floor is all yours, dear lady."

Draco and Hermione stood silently, waiting. Blaise folded his hands smugly over his chest. Daphne closed her eyes, and winced.

"Er…you know that letter that was sent back to Granger…?" Daphne began. "And you wonder about why you never received her letters?" Her voice was a faint whisper now.

Draco's eyes narrowed in contemplation. Then his eyebrows went up in shock. Hermione's mouth fell open, though Daphne had a hard time trying to figure out what her reaction was. Her mouth just started jabbering excuses, explanations, and apologies without her control.

"Oh, my God, I _knew_ you'd be furious! I mean, you have every right to be, but you have to let me _explain_ why I did it! Oh, Draco, please don't look at me that way. Please. Granger…you have to listen to me. I blocked your Owls for him, and _I_ was the one who sent your letter back to new York in hopes of pushing you away and discouraging you from coming back. _I_ told Draco that you got engaged and it was _my_ fault that he thought you were married. Oh, Draco, I really didn't overhear anything from any Ministry hag who was acquainted with the Weasleys. It was all _me_, okay? I planned everything! I _know_, all right? I'm the bad person! The villain! I'm just as bad as Voldemort was! I can't blame you, though, because _I'm_ also surprised that I could stoop so low!"

Daphne stopped, and took a break from her tirade. She covered her emerald eyes, and when she opened them again, they were filled with tears.

When she spoke next, her voice was barely a whisper, her gaze directed only at Draco.

"Draco, you just have to know that whatever I did, I did out of love for _you_. LOVE. Not the way I love Blaise, and not the way you love me…but the way you love _her_." Her hand made a swiping motion to Hermione.

"And if you didn't know it by now, I'm going to have to think that you are as _thick_ as Crabbe and Goyle, because I'm damn _sure_ my sycophantic manner towards you gave me away long, long ago! I know that I seem so heartless – and selfish – right now, but believe it or not, I _do _regret hurting you like that. That's why I hid away from you and Blaise and everyone else after I carried out my plan. I was so ashamed to show my face to you, Draco. It was so _hard_ for me to see you love someone else while my devotion for you went wasted and unnoticed.

"But you know what? It was even harder for me to see you getting torn apart because of _me_. Because of what I did. I'm sorry. I really am. Please…Draco. Please say you'll forgive me, for I cannot live if you never speak to me again."

Everyone was staring at them. Here was Daphne Greengrass, ruining the wedding party, pouring her heart out to the _groom_, making her despicable crimes known to all of them.

Poor little rich girl. She has all the money and beauty in the world, and yet, she could not acquire the love of the man of her dreams.

Daphne's voice turned hysterical. "I only committed those offenses because _you're_ that one I've _always_ wanted, Draco. MY FREAKING 20TH BIRTHDAY IS _TODAY_, and if I hadn't managed to get married to anyone before I turned twenty, I'd be damned to marrying Blaise Zabini because of that _bloody_ Unbreakable Vow I made with him! _That's_ why I was so desperate, aside from the fact that I've loved you so much for such a long time."

"I swear to God, the Unbreakable Vow was _her_ fault. _Ow_!" Blaise yelped as Daphne elbowed him in the ribs. He smiled symphatetically at her. "Draco, mate, do find it in your heart to disregard all those horrible, heartless, selfish, despicable, maniacal, obsessive –"

"I'm sure he gets it, Zabini," Daphne hissed through clenched teeth.

Blaise sighed. "You ended up having your happily ever after with Granger, anyway. And you have to hand it to her, for being brave enough to confess everything. Think about how much it would destroy her if you don't forgive her, mate."

The corners of Daphne's lips had, unbeknownst to her, turned downwards into a pout, and Draco knew well that the tears would come pouring out again if he did not tell her what she wanted to hear. He couldn't believe what she just told him! He didn't want to believe that _Daphne_ was the one who caused his enstrangement with Hermione, but there she was, just fresh from admitting the whole truth to him. He wanted to forgive her. Merlin knows his heart was aching, begging him to do so, but he didn't know how Hermione felt about the whole thing. She was affected by Daphne's misdeeds too, so her judgment mattered as well.

Draco found it in his heart to forgive Daphne when his wife smiled warmly at the former Slytherin girl, and gave her a big hug.

"It's all right, Daphne. I think you deserve to be forgiven, after what you just did, and I know Draco feels the same way," Hermione said.

Daphne stared at Hermione as if the latter had grown another head. Her gaze flickered over to Draco. His look just softened, and the corner of his mouth pulled up.

"Good. That's settled," Blaise laughed, putting his arm around Daphne. "Come on, sweetheart, we have a wedding to prepare."

"_You can't be serious_!" Daphne groaned.

"Believe me, woman, I wish I wasn't," Blaise sighed. "But it was an Unbreakable Vow, and I really don't want _you_ or, more importantly_, myself_ to suffer the consequences. Now where should we hold it? My manor…or yours?"

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**One more chapter to go, my dear readers, and we're done. :D**

**BTW, don't hesitate to give suggestions on how you think the ending should go. Thanks!**


	12. Chapter 12 Afterthought

_**Here it is my friends, the final chapter of our story. I hope you enjoy it.**_

_**Reviews, don't forget, folks!**_

**Cheska. :D**

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_Chapter 12 – Afterthought_

"Good morning, Granger."

Draco Malfoy felt like the king of the world – and why wouldn't he? He was probably the luckiest wizard in the universe, for he had a fortune that would most probably last him a lifetime, his good looks, a respectable, high-paying job in his family's curse-breaker firm, a fine home, great friends, supportive parents who, even once, did not go against his wish to marry a Muggleborn, and the love of the woman he adored. Knowing that he had all this brought on the pleasant, beautiful smile on his face, every morning.

He was head into the kitchen, his wife's pride and joy. She didn't cook, of course (Draco was still waiting for the day that Hermione Granger-Malfoy would finally learn how not to burn the toast, let alone prepare a decent meal). Hermione planned out the kitchen herself, with assistance from her friend Ginny Potter, her mother-in-law, and the battalion of house-elves that was under Narcissa Malfoy's command (though Hermione disapproved of it). She had ingeniously chosen delicate shades of peach and gold as the main colors. Hermione liked to come there in the afternoons, just as the setting sun hit the gold-painted walls, making them shine and illuminate the entire kitchen.

The manor they were living in at the moment was reverted from Draco's grandmother's dark and gloomy design, to Hermione's own personal and much more comfortable style, though most of the antique pieces were kept, since Draco insisted. The rooms were repainted in lighter colors. The cushions on the furniture were softer. Hermione liked it very much, and Draco would have no complaint to anything that made his wife happy.

_With a loud noise, Hermione stood the last of the suitcases up on the floor._

_"I'm done packing, Draco Malfoy, no thanks to you," she announced haughtily. The git on the bed popped a juicy grape into his mouth._

_"Job well done, Granger. I'm proud of you."_

_Hermione placed her hands on her hips. "Get off that bed, sweetheart, won't you? We've overstayed our visit –"_

_"Overstayed?" Draco interjected, seemingly appalled. "We've only been here for two weeks."_

_She shot him an incredulous look. Turning her head to the window, the view outside just made her feel even more home sick. Sure, the accommodations in the five-star hotel and resort they were staying in were leisurely. The honeymoon had gone just the way she planned, filled with daily hikes and island hopping, romantic dinners, late-night swims, and fun on top of the king-sized bed in their suite. But even thought she was with Draco, finally married to him, which made her the happiest she had ever been, she wanted to go back home and see her parents, her friend…even her new in-laws! Hermione couldn't wait to move into their new house – wherever and whatever it was Draco had chosen._

_Hermione sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, beside his outstretched legs. She patted the top of his head condescendingly. "It's been outrageous, Draco, but I'm feeling a bit homesick already, and a little tired of this place. I'd like to go home, if you don't mind. Now go run along and get dressed."_

_Draco snatched his shirt from the foot of the bed, standing._

_"Where exactly _is_ home, Hermione?"_

_Her face reddened then. Hermione's brown eyes darkened, and she charged up to him with clawed fingers._

_"_Are you saying we have nowhere to stay_?" she screeched._

_"We could stay here...?"_

_Draco raised his hands defensively in front of his face, her peppermint breath striking his face. Draco moved a good distance from her._

_"I'm a homeless witch, married to a rich, air-headed, _GIT_!" Hermione shouted to the ceiling. She shot up on her feet once more and jabbed a finger at him._

_"Malfoy, I thought_ you_ were taking care of our living arrangements!" her voice was coated with accusation."_

_Her husband frowned unpleasantly, for once letting his joking behavior go. "I couldn't do anything without _your_ approval, Granger, for fear of your wrath if I chose anything that was beneath your high expectations."_

_Hermione's lip pursed, letting him know that what was displeasing her was his irresponsibility. She gazed down at the carpeted floor, soothing her aching neck._

_"I'd be fine living anywhere, Malfoy, you know that."_

_"I'm afraid I didn't. We'll talk about it now, then?"_

_"Fine."_

_"Fine. Where do you want to live, Granger?" He stalked off to the bathroom, giving her time to consider. Her response came immediately._

_"I _told_ you. Anywhere is all right with me."_

_Draco began speaking before he could control himself._

_"Oh, good! I think my mother already has an entire wing at the manor prepared for us, Hermione," he joked, knowing that Hermione was completely opposed to the idea of living with _his _parents._

_He gulped down hard, and poked his head through the bathroom door. Hermione was staring icily, straight at him. Draco watched his wife's expression go from indifferent to mad, and from mad to furious. She scared him when she spoke – or rather, _screamed_._

_"I AM NOT LIVING WITH YOUR PARENTS, DRACO MALFOY! You'd be stupid to think _that_!"_

_"But I thought you said anywhere was fine!" Draco mumbled._

_"Anywhere that doesn't have your parents or mine in it!" Hermione clarified. "Don't you realized how awkward it would be to have Lucius or Narcissa under the same roof with us?"_

_"Come on, you wouldn't even realize we were in the same house!" Draco pointed out, then afterwards, realizing that he had once again said the wrong thing._

_"That's another thing, Draco," Hermione sighed. "I don't want to live in any massive house that I can't find anyone in. No matter how luxurious or beautiful it is. If you went over to your parents' side, for example, and there was an emergency, _I_ wouldn't be able to find you for weeks! And I don't want that happening to any of our children, either."_

_She said nothing else, and parked herself down on the bed, crossing her legs under her, arms folded, face soured._

_Draco sighed, and went on with his shower. He emerged from the bathroom, five minutes later, and when the door opened, his scent filled the bedroom. Hermione still refused to turn his direction, though. Nevertheless, he sat down beside her, in only his boxers, crossing his legs, as well._

_"I got an Owl from Mother, last night. She confirmed that my grandmother's old house was already cleaned out and ready for us to move into. I asked her last week if she could prepare it for us, you know."_

_Hermione's eyes narrowed dangerously. "So are you telling me you were joking when you told me that we'd have live with your parents?"_

_"Yes," Draco whispered carefully._

_"And that I thought up a hundred different ways to kill you both magically and through Muggle means for no real reason?"_

_"Whoa. A hundred different ways to kill me? Now really, Hermione. That's a bit of an overreaction. I only told you that we were going to be deprived of our own house. I didn't tell you that Lord Voldemort has once again risen, and I had helped him."_

_Her head snapped to him at that, a scowl prominent on her face. He covered the scowl with his lips. She let him take her hand, and Apparated with her to their new home._

Draco's grandmother used to run to the peaceful sanctuary whenever she would get into disagreements with her husband, Draco's grandfather, Abraxas. Lucius Malfoy was almost born in that very house, but Abraxas had brought his wife back to Malfoy Manor in the nick of time, so as not to break tradition that every Malfoy be born in their forefathers' ancient mansion. The house was now Hermione's sanctuary, and she smirked every time she remembered her scheme to give birth to her children here, or anywhere else that wasn't Malfoy Manor, and see whether or not Lucius or Narcissa would care.

"You're up early. You don't usually go down for breakfast before I do," Draco noted. His arm stretched out for the newspaper, but Hermione made a grab for it before he could reach it. Draco had a bad habit of misplacing the paper right after reading it, leaving Hermione without a paper all day. She was considering ordering two copies of the _Daily Prophet_ everyday, if he intended to go on with his bad habit.

"I think the smell of the food cooking drew me here," Hermione explained. Though now, the aroma of the feast spread before her – which was big enough to feed an army – made her stomach churn.

Hermione let out a groan; every day in the past week had been hell for her. Her beautiful blond husband cocked an eyebrow at her. He thought it was just that time of the month for her again.

She leafed through the pages of the paper, until she stopped on a certain page. Draco put down his coffee cup, wondering at her shocked expression, which left her mouth hanging open, eyes wide.

Hermione blinked twice and tossed the paper to her husband across the table. When it landed in front of him, it was opened on the page that contained the obituaries and the wedding announcements. Although it was filled with numerous moving pictures of happy couples, the pair smacked down in the middle caught his attention most.

Daphne Greengrass and Blaise Zabini, his best friends, in a black and white picture, scowling at the cameras. Every few seconds, just like every magical picture, Blaise would move and snake his arm around Daphne's waist, causing Daphne to slap him away. What surprised Draco even more were the clothes they had on. Blaise was in an all black suit, greatly contrasting Daphne's flowing white dress.

"Dear Merlin, help us," Draco breathed. Hermione took the paper back, and read the write-up on the Greengrass-Zabini nuptials out loud.

"_Twenty-year-old Miss Daphne Greengrass married wizard Blaise Zabini last Saturday. The wedding was a small ceremony held in a small village in the north of England, with only Miss Greengrass and Mr. Zabini present. A village official presided over the wedding. A young witch from Hogwarts, who was residing in the village for her summer holidays, recognized the two former Slytherins, causing the news of the marriage to leak around the school. The bride is the only living heir to the Greengrass fortune, whilst the groom has hold of the inheritance his recently deceased grandfather left."_

"Dear Merlin," Draco repeated. Hermione nodded once, studying Daphne's and Blaise's sneering faces.

"I wonder what the children would look like," Draco chuckled as soon as he found his voice once more. Hermione held the picture nearer to her face. Blaise and Daphne were almost identical, like brother and sister. Maybe the brotherly and sisterly way they were towards each other made them all the more uncomfortable complying with the Unbreakable Vow they had sworn to.

Hermione shrugged. "I'm sure they'd be beautiful."

Draco laughed out loud. "With those two as parents, of course." The corners of his mouth turned up in a smirk at her. She waited to hear what was on his mind.

"What would _our_ children look like, Hermione?"

She smirked, herself. Hermione raised herself from her seat and walked along the circumference of the table, her fingers reaching out to Draco's face. He backed his chair away from the table, making space for her to sit on his lap.

"I'm praying they'd have your perfect hair," she hummed with a kiss on his cheek, "Your beautiful, sparkling eyes," she continued, planting another gentle peck, on his forehead, this time.

Draco's hand twirled a strand of her richly brown hair, watching her chocolate eyes glisten with a kept secret.

"And your faultless intelligence, most importantly," he added. "And, Hermione, my eyes only sparkle whenever they see you."

Hermione bent down to kiss him full on the lips.

Draco gasped for air, when Hermione pulled away. She took a drink from Draco's cup of strong, dark coffee, and gagged. Hermione rushed away, heading towards the back stairs.

Before she could make a run for it, though, Draco trapped both her hands in his long, slender fingers.

"How long would I have to wait, Mrs. Malfoy? Do tell me you intend to ease my mother's aching need for grandchildren soon," Draco smirked.

Hermione leaned in towards him, her face level with his. Both corners of her lips pulled up into a sweet smile.

She managed to free her hands from his grasp, and made her way up the stairs, confirming.

"I don't think you would have to wait for long, Mr. Malfoy. Say…seven months?"

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_**You liked it? Or not? Any comments, questions, or concerns? Just give me a review or PM me, and I'll respond fast.**_

_**And notice that I haven't put any **_**The End_. I don't think I can say _The End_ yet. We'll just see._**

_**Thank you to all the kind readers and reviewers.**_


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